Punggye Ri Nuclear Test Site

Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site: A Comprehensive Overview

Introduction:

The remote mountain complex of Punggye-ri, nestled deep within North Korea's northern landscape, holds a chilling significance in global geopolitics. For decades, this clandestine location served as the epicenter of North Korea's nuclear weapons program, witnessing a series of underground nuclear tests that sent shockwaves across the international community. This in-depth exploration dives into the history, geography, significance, and ongoing implications of the Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site, providing a comprehensive understanding of this pivotal location in the ongoing nuclear arms race. We'll examine its geological characteristics, the technological challenges of conducting underground tests, the environmental consequences of the detonations, and the site's eventual closure and its potential future. Prepare for a journey into the heart of one of the most secretive and consequential places on Earth.


1. The Geographical Setting and Discovery of Punggye-ri:

Punggye-ri's strategic location, nestled within the rugged terrain of North Korea's Kilju County, is far from accidental. The mountainous region provides natural camouflage, shielding the site from prying satellite eyes and complicating any potential attempts at external intervention. The geology itself plays a crucial role. The specific rock formations at Punggye-ri, characterized by their hardness and ability to contain the immense force of a nuclear explosion, were key factors in its selection as a testing ground. The site's remoteness also limited the risk of civilian casualties or widespread contamination in the event of an accident. The exact date of the site's discovery and initial utilization by the North Korean regime remains shrouded in secrecy, but evidence points to the late 1990s as the likely period of initial development.


2. The Nuclear Tests: Timeline and Scale:

Between 2006 and 2017, North Korea conducted six nuclear tests at Punggye-ri. Each test progressively increased in power and sophistication, demonstrating a steady advancement in the country's nuclear capabilities. These tests weren't merely about raw explosive power; they involved the refinement of nuclear warhead designs, testing the durability of the weapons under extreme conditions, and improving the country's overall nuclear arsenal. International monitoring organizations, utilizing seismic data and atmospheric sampling, diligently tracked these tests, providing valuable insights into the nature and scale of North Korea's nuclear program. The increasing yield of each subsequent test underscored the growing threat posed by the regime's escalating nuclear ambition.


3. Environmental Impact and Geological Consequences:

The repeated nuclear detonations at Punggye-ri have had a profound and lasting impact on the surrounding environment. The explosions caused significant geological instability, creating tremors felt across the region and potentially triggering landslides and other geological hazards. The release of radioactive isotopes into the atmosphere, while largely contained by the mountain, raises concerns about long-term environmental contamination and the potential health risks to the surrounding population. Independent studies and analysis of seismic data have provided estimates of the extent of these environmental consequences, painting a picture of a region permanently altered by the nuclear testing program.


4. International Monitoring and Response:

The international community closely monitored the nuclear tests at Punggye-ri, employing a range of technologies and techniques. Seismic monitoring stations around the world detected the tremors generated by the explosions, providing crucial information about the timing and magnitude of each test. Atmospheric monitoring programs tracked the release of radioactive isotopes, helping to confirm the successful detonation of nuclear devices. The international response to each test was swift and varied, ranging from diplomatic condemnations and sanctions to increased security measures in neighboring countries. These events highlighted the global implications of North Korea's actions and the need for international cooperation in preventing nuclear proliferation.


5. The Closure of Punggye-ri and its Future:

In 2018, North Korea announced the closure of the Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site, a highly publicized event that generated significant international attention. While the announcement was met with cautious optimism, concerns remain about the site's future and the potential for future tests. The complete dismantling of the site and the verification of its permanent closure remain critical challenges, demanding international cooperation and transparency from North Korea. The possibility of future tests, even at a different location, remains a potent threat, highlighting the ongoing need for diplomatic efforts and strategies aimed at denuclearization. The legacy of Punggye-ri, therefore, extends beyond its physical closure, representing a persistent challenge to international security.



Ebook Outline:

Title: Understanding Punggye-ri: North Korea's Nuclear Test Site and its Global Implications

Introduction: Overview of the Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site and its significance.
Chapter 1: Geographical Location and Geological Characteristics of the Site.
Chapter 2: Timeline and Analysis of the Six Nuclear Tests.
Chapter 3: Environmental Impact and Long-Term Consequences.
Chapter 4: International Monitoring and the Global Response.
Chapter 5: The Closure of Punggye-ri and Future Prospects.
Conclusion: Summary of key findings and ongoing concerns.


(Detailed explanation of each chapter would follow here, mirroring the content already provided in the article above. Each chapter would be expanded upon with more detail, statistics, maps, and possibly expert quotes.)


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

1. Where exactly is the Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site located? It's located in Kilju County, North Hamgyong Province, in the northeastern mountains of North Korea.

2. When were the nuclear tests conducted? Between 2006 and 2017, six nuclear tests were conducted at Punggye-ri.

3. What was the purpose of the tests? The tests aimed to develop and refine North Korea's nuclear weapons technology.

4. What is the environmental impact of the tests? Geological instability, potential radioactive contamination, and long-term health risks are major concerns.

5. How was the international community involved? International monitoring efforts tracked the tests, leading to condemnations and sanctions.

6. Why did North Korea close the site? The closure was announced in 2018 as part of diplomatic initiatives, though full verification is lacking.

7. Is the site permanently closed? While officially closed, the potential for future tests remains a serious concern.

8. What are the geological characteristics of the site? Hard rock formations were crucial for containing the explosions.

9. What is the future of the Punggye-ri site? The long-term future and security of the site require continued international monitoring and cooperation.


Related Articles:

1. North Korea's Nuclear Program: A Historical Overview: Traces the development of North Korea's nuclear ambitions from its inception.

2. Seismic Monitoring and Nuclear Test Detection: Explores the technologies used to detect and analyze nuclear tests.

3. The Impact of Sanctions on North Korea's Economy: Analyzes the economic consequences of international sanctions.

4. The Role of Diplomacy in Addressing the North Korean Nuclear Threat: Discusses diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis.

5. Radioactive Fallout and its Health Effects: Explains the potential health risks associated with radioactive contamination.

6. Geological Stability and Nuclear Testing: Examines the impact of nuclear tests on geological formations.

7. International Cooperation and Nuclear Non-Proliferation: Discusses global efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation.

8. The Kim Dynasty and North Korea's Foreign Policy: Explores the role of the Kim family in shaping North Korea's nuclear strategy.

9. The Future of Nuclear Weapons and Global Security: Discusses broader concerns about the global nuclear landscape.


  punggye ri nuclear test site: The Great Successor Anna Fifield, 2019-06-11 The behind-the-scenes story of the rise and reign of the world's strangest and most elusive tyrant, Kim Jong Un, by the journalist with the best connections and insights into the bizarrely dangerous world of North Korea. Since his birth in 1984, Kim Jong Un has been swaddled in myth and propaganda, from the plainly silly -- he could supposedly drive a car at the age of three -- to the grimly bloody stories of family members who perished at his command. Anna Fifield reconstructs Kim's past and present with exclusive access to sources near him and brings her unique understanding to explain the dynastic mission of the Kim family in North Korea. The archaic notion of despotic family rule matches the almost medieval hardship the country has suffered under the Kims. Few people thought that a young, untested, unhealthy, Swiss-educated basketball fanatic could hold together a country that should have fallen apart years ago. But Kim Jong Un has not just survived, he has thrived, abetted by the approval of Donald Trump and diplomacy's weirdest bromance. Skeptical yet insightful, Fifield creates a captivating portrait of the oddest and most secretive political regime in the world -- one that is isolated yet internationally relevant, bankrupt yet in possession of nuclear weapons -- and its ruler, the self-proclaimed Beloved and Respected Leader, Kim Jong Un.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: The Containment of Underground Nuclear Explosions , 1989
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  punggye ri nuclear test site: Monitoring a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Eystein S. Husebye, Anton M. Dainty, 2012-12-06 An international treaty banning the testing of any nuclear device in any environment - a comprehensive test ban treaty (CTBT) - has been on the political agenda for nearly 40 years. Objections to a CTBT have been political, technical, or a combination of both. However, the possibilities seem better after the end of the Cold War. In the prevailing, cooperative disarmament climate a CTBT appears likely to be approved by most countries in 1996. Hence the great current interest in monitoring technologies and capabilities. Such issues are comprehensively addressed here, a preamble being devoted to the political developments and setbacks over the past 40 years. Since seismic means are considered the dominant monitoring element, they are explored in detail. Contributions cover network deployments, advanced signal processing, wave propagation in heterogeneous media, and seismic source representations, and a variety of techniques for source classification (including neural networks). Complementary monitoring techniques, such as hydroacoustics, radionuclides and infrasound, are also summarised. The IAEA operation for monitoring compliance with the Non-Proliferation Treaty is also presented. The book also includes eyewitness accounts of the Soviet 50 Mt megabomb development and test, as well as the efforts made by the state to monitor the nuclear test programmes of the western powers. Includes some 33 articles written by distinguished scientists active in CTBT monitoring research for decades.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Sleepwalking to Armageddon Helen Caldicott, 2017-11-07 A frightening but necessary assessment of the threat posed by nuclear weapons in the twenty-first century, edited by the world's leading antinuclear activist With the world's attention focused on climate change and terrorism, we are in danger of taking our eyes off the nuclear threat. But rising tensions between Russia and NATO, proxy wars erupting in Syria and Ukraine, a nuclear-armed Pakistan, and stockpiles of aging weapons unsecured around the globe make a nuclear attack or a terrorist attack on a nuclear facility arguably the biggest threat facing humanity. In Sleepwalking to Armageddon, pioneering antinuclear activist Helen Caldicott assembles the world's leading nuclear scientists and thought leaders to assess the political and scientific dimensions of the threat of nuclear war today. Chapters address the size and distribution of the current global nuclear arsenal, the history and politics of nuclear weapons, the culture of modern-day weapons labs, the militarization of space, and the dangers of combining artificial intelligence with nuclear weaponry, as well as a status report on enriched uranium and a shocking analysis of spending on nuclear weapons over the years. The book ends with a devastating description of what a nuclear attack on Manhattan would look like, followed by an overview of contemporary antinuclear activism. Both essential and terrifying, this book is sure to become the new bible of the antinuclear movement—to wake us from our complacency and urge us to action.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: SIPRI Yearbook 1994 Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, 1994 The SIPRI Yearbook 1994 continues SIPRI's review of the latest developments in nuclear weapons, world military expenditure, the international arms trade and arms production, chemical and biological weapons, the proliferation of ballistic missile technology, armed conflicts in 1993, and nuclear and conventional arms control. It is the most complete and authoritative source available for up-to-date information in war studies, strategic studies, peace studies, and international relations.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Evolution of the United Nations System The Japan Association for United Nations Studies (JAUNS), 2023-07-31 Contributors from Japan, Korea, and China explore the reaction of the United Nations to emerging global issues. A collaboration between the Japan Association for United Nations Studies with the Korea Academic Council on the United Nations System and the China Academic Net for United Nations Studies, this book presents a range of perspectives from both academics and practitioners. The areas explored and discussed include global governance, peace and security, global health governance, global citizenship, nuclear disarmament, and the Sustainable Development Goals. In particular and among other issues it addresses both the coordination of COVID-19 management and responses to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. An invaluable, diverse, and concertedly non-Western approach to the challenges facing the UN.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Detect and Deter: Can Countries Verify the Nuclear Test Ban? Ola Dahlman, Jenifer Mackby, Svein Mykkeltveit, Hein Haak, 2011-09-03 How can countries verify compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and detect and deter violations? It is in their interest to increase their verification readiness because the assessment of compliance with the treaty rests with states parties to the CTBT. The treaty provides countries with two verification elements: an international system of monitoring stations, and an on-site inspection regime. The monitoring system can detect nuclear explosions underground, in the atmosphere and under water. This book provides incentives to nations around the world on how they can organize their efforts to verify compliance with the CTBT and how they can collaborate with other countries, perhaps on a regional basis, to monitor areas of concern. Such focused efforts can improve their detection and deterrence capabilities through precision monitoring. The book addresses the CTBT verification from the perspective of countries. It shows how they can create the essential tools for the assessment of the large amounts of data available from the verification regime and other sources, including observations from satellites and thousands of stations outside of the treaty regime. Countries can also use current scientific and technological developments to assist them in verifying compliance with the treaty. The book offers political and scientific analysis on the evolution of the treaty over the years. The book is intended for professionals in the political, diplomatic, scientific and military fields who deal with international security, non-proliferation and arms control. It is also intended for non-governmental organizations and journalists seeking a better understanding of the nuclear test ban issue and how states can verify compliance with the treaty.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Earthquakes Induced by Underground Nuclear Explosions Rodolfo Console, Alexei Nikolaev, 2012-11-01 This volume presents different studies carried out on induced seismicity, both from experimental and theoretical viewpoints. Several examples of seismic activity induced by underground nuclear explosions, impoundment of artificial reservoirs, and mining activities are given and discussed. Another important subject which is covered is earthquakes induced by other large earthquakes. Further, tectonic stress release in the immediate vicinity of an underground nuclear explosion is treated. The release produces aftershocks of small magnitude, usually for several weeks, occurring a few kilometers within the shot point. This phenomenon is of importance in the context of monitoring a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Infrasound Monitoring for Atmospheric Studies Alexis Le Pichon, Elisabeth Blanc, Alain Hauchecorne, 2010-01-19 The use of infrasound to monitor the atmosphere has, like infrasound itself, gone largely unheard of through the years. But it has many applications, and it is about time that a book is being devoted to this fascinating subject. Our own involvement with infrasound occurred as graduate students of Prof. William Donn, who had established an infrasound array at the Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory (now the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory) of Columbia University. It was a natural outgrowth of another major activity at Lamont, using seismic waves to explore the Earth’s interior. Both the atmosphere and the solid Earth feature velocity (seismic or acoustic) gradients in the vertical which act to refract the respective waves. The refraction in turn allows one to calculate the respective background structure in these mediums, indirectly exploring locations that are hard to observe otherwise. Monitoring these signals also allows one to discover various phenomena, both natural and man-made (some of which have military applications).
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Nuclear War Annie Jacobsen, 2024-03-26 The INSTANT New York Times bestseller Instant Los Angeles Times bestseller “In Nuclear War: A Scenario, Annie Jacobsen gives us a vivid picture of what could happen if our nuclear guardians fail…Terrifying.”—Wall Street Journal There is only one scenario other than an asteroid strike that could end the world as we know it in a matter of hours: nuclear war. And one of the triggers for that war would be a nuclear missile inbound toward the United States. Every generation, a journalist has looked deep into the heart of the nuclear military establishment: the technologies, the safeguards, the plans, and the risks. These investigations are vital to how we understand the world we really live in—where one nuclear missile will beget one in return, and where the choreography of the world’s end requires massive decisions made on seconds’ notice with information that is only as good as the intelligence we have. Pulitzer Prize finalist Annie Jacobsen’s Nuclear War: A Scenario explores this ticking-clock scenario, based on dozens of exclusive new interviews with military and civilian experts who have built the weapons, have been privy to the response plans, and have been responsible for those decisions should they have needed to be made. Nuclear War: A Scenario examines the handful of minutes after a nuclear missile launch. It is essential reading, and unlike any other book in its depth and urgency.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Under the Cloud Richard Lee Miller, 1986 In a chilling documentary history of America's above-ground nuclear tests conducted during the 1950s and early 1960s, Miller takes on the subject and universalizes it, at the same time giving it the flavor of a Dos Passos novel (Kirkus Reviews).
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Moment Tensor Solutions Sebastiano D'Amico, 2018-05-12 This book first focuses on the explanation of the theory about focal mechanisms and moment tensor solutions and their role in the modern seismology. The second part of the book compiles several state-of-the-art case studies in different seismotectonic settings of the planet.The assessment of seismic hazard and the reduction of losses due to future earthquakes is probably the most important contribution of seismology to society. In this regard, the understanding of reliable determination seismic source and of its uncertainty can play a key role in contributing to geodynamic investigation, seismic hazard assessment and earthquake studies. In the last two decades, the use of waveforms recorded at local-to-regional distances has increased considerably. Waveform modeling has been used also to estimate faulting parameters of small-to-moderate sized earthquakes.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Engaging North Korea Stephan Haggard, Marcus Noland, 2011 This monograph reviews the efficacy of economic statecraft vis- -vis North Korea, with a particular focus on the use of sanctions and inducements on the part of the United States in seeking to achieve nonproliferation and wider foreign policy objectives. Two structural constraints operate: North Korea's particularly repressive state, with a narrowing governing coalition; and the country's changing economic relations. As an empirical matter, there is little evidence that sanctions had effect, or did so only in conjunction with inducements. However, inducements did not yield significant results either, in part because of severe credibility and sequencing problems in the negotiations.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Spies, Lies, and Algorithms Amy B. Zegart, 2023-02-28 A riveting account of espionage for the digital age, from one of America’s leading intelligence experts Spying has never been more ubiquitous—or less understood. The world is drowning in spy movies, TV shows, and novels, but universities offer more courses on rock and roll than on the CIA and there are more congressional experts on powdered milk than espionage. This crisis in intelligence education is distorting public opinion, fueling conspiracy theories, and hurting intelligence policy. In Spies, Lies, and Algorithms, Amy Zegart separates fact from fiction as she offers an engaging and enlightening account of the past, present, and future of American espionage as it faces a revolution driven by digital technology. Drawing on decades of research and hundreds of interviews with intelligence officials, Zegart provides a history of U.S. espionage, from George Washington’s Revolutionary War spies to today’s spy satellites; examines how fictional spies are influencing real officials; gives an overview of intelligence basics and life inside America’s intelligence agencies; explains the deadly cognitive biases that can mislead analysts; and explores the vexed issues of traitors, covert action, and congressional oversight. Most of all, Zegart describes how technology is empowering new enemies and opportunities, and creating powerful new players, such as private citizens who are successfully tracking nuclear threats using little more than Google Earth. And she shows why cyberspace is, in many ways, the ultimate cloak-and-dagger battleground, where nefarious actors employ deception, subterfuge, and advanced technology for theft, espionage, and information warfare. A fascinating and revealing account of espionage for the digital age, Spies, Lies, and Algorithms is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the reality of spying today.
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  punggye ri nuclear test site: Domestic Constraints on South Korean Foreign Policy Scott A. Snyder, Geun Lee, Young Ho Kim, Jiyoon Kim, 2018-01-01 These essays support the argument that strong and effective presidential leadership is the most important prerequisite for South Korea to sustain and project its influence abroad. That leadership should be attentive to the need for public consensus and should operate within established legislative mechanisms that ensure public accountability. The underlying structures sustaining South Korea’s foreign policy formation are generally sound; the bigger challenge is to manage domestic politics in ways that promote public confidence about the direction and accountability of presidential leadership in foreign policy.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Seismic Inversion Yanghua Wang, 2016-09-15 Seismic inversion aims to reconstruct a quantitative model of the Earth subsurface, by solving an inverse problem based on seismic measurements. There are at least three fundamental issues to be solved simultaneously: non-linearity, non-uniqueness, and instability. This book covers the basic theory and techniques used in seismic inversion, corresponding to these three issues, emphasising the physical interpretation of theoretical concepts and practical solutions. This book is written for master and doctoral students who need to understand the mathematical tools and the engineering aspects of the inverse problem needed to obtain geophysically meaningful solutions. Building on the basic theory of linear inverse problems, the methodologies of seismic inversion are explained in detail, including ray-impedance inversion and waveform tomography etc. The application methodologies are categorised into convolutional and wave-equation based groups. This systematic presentation simplifies the subject and enables an in-depth understanding of seismic inversion. This book also provides a practical guide to reservoir geophysicists who are attempting quantitative reservoir characterisation based on seismic data. Philosophically, the seismic inverse problem allows for a range of possible solutions, but the techniques described herein enable geophysicists to exclude models that cannot satisfy the available data. This book summarises the author’s extensive experience in both industry and academia and includes innovative techniques not previously published.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Forensic Explosion Seismology So Gu Kim, 2020-03-02 This book discusses three major physical phenomena for active source seismology, namely underwater explosions, underground nuclear explosions, and large-scale on-surface chemical explosions. In particular, contributors consider how to use the technologies and applications in active source seismology and seismo-acoustics, rather than the theoretical approach for the resolution of the forensic explosion seismology in the light of an application for defense sciences. The volume also presents seismological investigations of discrimination between earthquakes and man-made explosions.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Conscience in Action Kim Dae-jung, 2018-06-20 This book is an English translation of the authoritative autobiography by the late South Korean President Kim Dae-jung. The 2000 Nobel Peace Prize winner, often called the Asian Nelson Mandela, is best known for his tolerant and innovative “Sunshine Policy” towards North Korea. Written in the five years between the end of his presidency and his death in 2009, this book offers a poignant first-hand account of Korea’s turbulent modern history. It spans the pivotal time span between the Japanese colonial period (1910-1945) and reconciliation in the Korean Peninsula (2000-2009). In between are insightful insider descriptions of everything from wars and dictatorships to the hopeful period of economic recovery, blooming democracy, peace, and reconciliation. Conscience in Action serves as an intimate record of the Korean people’s persistent and heroic struggle for democracy and peace. It is also an inspiring story of an extraordinary individual whose formidable perseverance and selfless dedication to the values he believed in led him to triumph despite more than four decades of extreme persecution.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: The Logic of Irregular War Ilan Berman, 2017-11-10 For the United States, asymmetric warfare has emerged as the “new normal.” The large-scale conventional campaigns that typified U.S. military engagements for much of the 20th Century are increasingly things of the past. Instead, the quarter-century since the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the U.S.-Soviet balance of power has seen irregular war truly come of age, with more and more hostile nations pursuing asymmetric means in order to secure the strategic advantage vis-à-vis the United States. In this volume, a group of leading national security practitioners and subject matter experts comes together to analyze the asymmetric strategies being pursued today by America’s main state-based adversaries—Russia, China, Iran and North Korea—and to explore how U.S. policymakers can respond more effectively to them.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Air Power in the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific Howard M. Hensel, 2020-06-04 This book examines the security dynamics of the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific, concentrating upon an analysis and evaluation of the air power capabilities of the various powers active in the two regions. The volume is designed to help improve understanding of the heritage and contemporary challenges confronting the global community in the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific, as well as to illuminate the policies of the various powers involved in the affairs of these regions, and the military capabilities that are available in support of those policies. The 16 individual chapters examine both the traditional and the non-traditional threats that confront the various Indian Ocean and Western Pacific powers, and assess the roles played by land-based and naval, fixed-wing and rotary-wing, manned and unmanned aircraft, as well as by offensively and defensively capable ballistic and cruise missiles in addressing these challenges. In doing so, the various chapters analyze and evaluate the air power doctrine, capabilities, deployment patterns, and missions of the respective states. In addition, they assess the future issues, challenges, and responses involving air power as it, acting in concert with other military instruments, seeks to contribute to securing and promoting the interests of the state. This book will be of much interest to students of air power, strategic studies, Asian and Middle Eastern politics, and International Relations.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Hinge Points Siegfried S. Hecker, 2023-01-10 North Korea remains a puzzle to Americans. How did this country—one of the most isolated in the world and in the policy cross hairs of every U.S. administration during the past 30 years—progress from zero nuclear weapons in 2001 to a threatening arsenal of perhaps 50 such weapons in 2021? Hinge Points brings readers literally inside the North Korean nuclear program, joining Siegfried Hecker to see what he saw and hear what he heard in his visits to North Korea from 2004 to 2010. Hecker goes beyond the technical details—described in plain English from his on-the-ground experience at the North's nuclear center at Yongbyon—to put the nuclear program exactly where it belongs, in the context of decades of fateful foreign policy decisions in Pyongyang and Washington. Describing these decisions as hinge points, he traces the consequences of opportunities missed by both sides. The result has been that successive U.S. administrations have been unable to prevent the North, with the weakest of hands, from becoming one of only three countries in the world that might target the United States with nuclear weapons. Hecker's unique ability to marry the technical with the diplomatic is well informed by his interactions with North Korean and U.S. officials over many years, while his years of working with Russian, Chinese, Indian, and Pakistani nuclear officials have given him an unmatched breadth of experience from which to view and interpret the thinking and perspective of the North Koreans.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: North Korea and Security Cooperation in Northeast Asia Tae-Hwan Kwak, Seung-Ho Joo, 2016-05-23 Relations between the two Koreas continue to be hostile, volatile and unpredictable with North Korea’s nuclear issue remaining as untamed as ever. As such, there is a growing urgency for security cooperation in Northeast Asia to be given immediate attention. The key players in the region - the US, China, Japan and Russia - are keenly aware of the security threat of an armed clash between North and South Korea and are committed to denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. This book explores the domestic factors of the two Koreas and the four major powers that influence their security policies towards North Korea and Northeast Asia. This well thought out and consistently analysed volume has huge potential to frame the conversation on Northeast Asian relations in the coming years.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Position, Navigation, and Timing Technologies in the 21st Century Y. Jade Morton, Frank van Diggelen, James J. Spilker, Jr., Bradford W. Parkinson, Sherman Lo, Grace Gao, 2020-12-17 Covers the latest developments in PNT technologies, including integrated satellite navigation, sensor systems, and civil applications Featuring sixty-four chapters that are divided into six parts, this two-volume work provides comprehensive coverage of the state-of-the-art in satellite-based position, navigation, and timing (PNT) technologies and civilian applications. It also examines alternative navigation technologies based on other signals-of-opportunity and sensors and offers a comprehensive treatment on integrated PNT systems for consumer and commercial applications. Volume 1 of Position, Navigation, and Timing Technologies in the 21st Century: Integrated Satellite Navigation, Sensor Systems, and Civil Applications contains three parts and focuses on the satellite navigation systems, technologies, and engineering and scientific applications. It starts with a historical perspective of GPS development and other related PNT development. Current global and regional navigation satellite systems (GNSS and RNSS), their inter-operability, signal quality monitoring, satellite orbit and time synchronization, and ground- and satellite-based augmentation systems are examined. Recent progresses in satellite navigation receiver technologies and challenges for operations in multipath-rich urban environment, in handling spoofing and interference, and in ensuring PNT integrity are addressed. A section on satellite navigation for engineering and scientific applications finishes off the volume. Volume 2 of Position, Navigation, and Timing Technologies in the 21st Century: Integrated Satellite Navigation, Sensor Systems, and Civil Applications consists of three parts and addresses PNT using alternative signals and sensors and integrated PNT technologies for consumer and commercial applications. It looks at PNT using various radio signals-of-opportunity, atomic clock, optical, laser, magnetic field, celestial, MEMS and inertial sensors, as well as the concept of navigation from Low-Earth Orbiting (LEO) satellites. GNSS-INS integration, neuroscience of navigation, and animal navigation are also covered. The volume finishes off with a collection of work on contemporary PNT applications such as survey and mobile mapping, precision agriculture, wearable systems, automated driving, train control, commercial unmanned aircraft systems, aviation, and navigation in the unique Arctic environment. In addition, this text: Serves as a complete reference and handbook for professionals and students interested in the broad range of PNT subjects Includes chapters that focus on the latest developments in GNSS and other navigation sensors, techniques, and applications Illustrates interconnecting relationships between various types of technologies in order to assure more protected, tough, and accurate PNT Position, Navigation, and Timing Technologies in the 21st Century: Integrated Satellite Navigation, Sensor Systems, and Civil Applications will appeal to all industry professionals, researchers, and academics involved with the science, engineering, and applications of position, navigation, and timing technologies. pnt21book.com
  punggye ri nuclear test site: The Challenges of Nuclear Non-Proliferation Richard Dean Burns, Philip E. Coyle, 2015-03-12 The Challenges of Nuclear Non-Proliferation is an exhaustive survey of the many aspects of non-proliferation efforts. It explains why some nations pursued nuclear programs while others abandoned them, as well as the challenges, strengths, and weaknesses of non-proliferation efforts. It addresses key issues such as concerns over rogue states and stateless rogues, delivery systems made possible by technology, and the connection between nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, examining whether non-proliferation regimes can deal with these threats or whether economic or military sanctions need to be developed. It also examines the feasibility of eliminating or greatly reducing the number of nuclear weapons. A broad survey of one of today’s great threats to international security, this text provides undergraduates students with the tools needed to evaluate current events and global threats.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons Stuart Casey-Maslen, 2019-01-31 This Commentary offers detailed background and analysis of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which was adopted at the UN Headquarters in New York in July 2017. The Treaty comprehensively prohibits the use, development, export, and possession of nuclear weapons. Stuart Casey-Maslen, a leading expert in the field who served as legal adviser to the Austrian Delegation during the negotiations of this Treaty, works through article by article, describing how each provision was negotiated and what it implies for states that join the Treaty. As the Treaty provisions cut across various branches of international law, the Commentary goes beyond a discussion of disarmament to consider the law of armed conflict, human rights, and the law on inter-state use of force. The Commentary examines the relationship with other treaties addressing nuclear weapons, in particular the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Background on the development and possession of nuclear weapons and theories of nuclear deterrence is provided. Particular attention is paid to controversial issues such as assistance for prohibited activities, the meaning of 'threaten to use', and the definition of nuclear explosive devices. Casey-Maslen also considers whether a member of NATO or other nuclear alliance can lawfully become a state party to the Treaty.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Project on Nuclear Issues Mark Cancian, 2018-03-09 The role that nuclear weapons play in international security has changed since the end of the Cold War, but the need to maintain and replenish the human infrastructure for supporting nuclear capabilities and dealing with the multitude of nuclear challenges remains essential. Recognizing this challenge, CSIS launched the Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) in 2003 to develop the next generation of policy, technical, and operational nuclear professionals through outreach, mentorship, research and debate. PONI runs two signature programs—the Nuclear Scholars Initiative and the Annual Conference Series—to engage emerging nuclear experts in thoughtful and informed debate and research over how to best address the nuclear community’s most pressing problems. The papers in this volume comprise research from participants in the 2017 Nuclear Scholars Initiative and PONI Conference Series. PONI sponsors this research to provide a forum for facilitating new and innovative thinking and a platform for emerging thought leaders across the nuclear enterprise. Spanning a wide range of technical and policy issues, these selected papers further discussion in their respective areas.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Korea Focus - June 2012 The Korea Foundation, 2013-03-30
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Indian Defence Review Vol 31.1 (Jan-Mar 2016) Air Marshal Anil Chopra, Vice Admiral AP Revi, Lt Gen Gautam Banerjee, Lt Gen VK Saxena, Maj Gen AK Mehra, Maj Gen PK Chakravorty, Maj Gen AK Chadha, Danvir Singh, 2016-03-21 IN THIS VOLUME: Military Modernisation in the Absence of a National Security Doctrine - Lt Gen JS Bajwa Rafale Deal - Untying the Knots - Air Marshal Anil Chopra Modernisation of Army Air Defence - Maj Gen AK Mehra Visualised Indian Artillery Considering Threats from China and Pakistan - Maj Gen PK Chakravorty Aviation: The Future is Unmanned - Air Marshal Anil Chopra Revamping the IAF’s Trainer Fleet - Gp Capt B Menon The Eagle, The Dragon, The Elephant and The Bear - Col Anil Athale Restructuring the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) - Col NP Singh Bull in the China Shop: The Indian Army vs The PLA - Brig Deepak Sinha China’s Reclamation of Islands in the South China Sea: Implications for India - Maj Gen PK Chakravorty Militarization of South China Sea: Offence-Defense Paradigm - S Rajasimman India’s Nuclear Submarine Programme - Rear Adm AP Revi India’s Air Defence: Is it Capable? - Maj Gen AK Mehra Make in India in Defence Production: Challenges & Opportunities - DC Srivastava KAMOV: The Make in India Defence Deal - Dr SN Misra What S-400 will bring to the Indian Ground-Based: Air Defence Capability? - Lt Gen VK Saxena Make in India: Problems and Prospects for the Aerospace Industry - Gp Capt AK Sachdev Aerospace and Defence News - Priya Tyagi Nurturing Military Institutions: For the Good of the Nation - Lt Gen Gautam Banerjee Ending the World’s Worst Atrocities: Darfur - Anant Mishra Myanmar Elections and Impact on the Region - Danvir Singh Spectre of ISIS’ Cyber Jihad Pandemic - Maj Gen AK Chadha
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Journey Norty Schwartz, Ron Levinson, Suzie Schwartz, 2018-03-13 An uncensored account of General Schwartz's term as the wartime US Air Force Chief of Staff under presidents Bush and Obama. The General’s dysfunctional home life drove him to apply to the Air Force Academy over forty years ago, where he was provided with a new family and sense of worth he had never earned from his own father. This purpose has driven the General throughout his remarkable career, taking him to Alaska, the Pentagon, and Germany; to Florida during Hurricane Opal, and has also allowed him to work alongside Presidents Bush and Obama and Secretaries of Defense Don Rumsfeld, Bob Gates and Leon Panetta. Journey is a book about leadership. It is packed with the General’s lessons from life in the military: breaking the mold, flying uncharted airspace, battles?from Iraq to the Pentagon, Afghanistan to Congress. It’s about pushing limits in an era of diminishing budgets and fewer resources to fuel the furnace of innovation. He chronicles the phenomenal story of the evolution of the US special operations, such as what was achieved when taking down Bin Laden. The General discusses the controversial new technologies that have been allowing America to build new capabilities in remote aircraft and cyber warfare. Many believe General Schwartz’s greatest legacy will be the dramatic acceleration of the “drone” program. He is a staunch advocate for it and this book will explain why.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Britain, Australia and the Bomb L. Arnold, M. Smith, 2006-09-29 Britain, Australia and the Bomb tells the story of the unique partnership between the two countries to develop nuclear weapons in the 1940s and 1950s. This new edition includes fresh evidence about the weapons under development, the effects of the tests on participants, and the recent clean-up of the testing range.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Nothing So Glorious (Cris De Niro, Book 5) Gerard de Marigny, 2014-01-26 President Park stepped onto the elevator and smiled, “It is spoken that you are a man of faith. I trust that you will do what is right.” The President of South Korea asks Cris De Niro for help. A North Korean general may be plotting to launch a missile attack on the South in order to reignite the Korean War, and a high-ranking South Korean official may be an accomplice. The only way to know for sure is for a small covert team to cross into the corrupt country - one not officially attached to any nation - and investigate. Mugsy Ricci and Scipio are assigned to the task. They’ll have to work with a North Korean general and a South Korean colonel whom they’re not sure they can trust. Meanwhile, Cris heads to Seoul with Michelle Wang and John “Johnny-F” Francis to uncover the South Korean conspirator. Enemies must work together or war will be inevitable … a war that could drag the superpowers into it, from the creator of the Amazon-bestselling action & adventure CRIS DE NIRO and ARCHANGEL thriller series, Gerard de Marigny.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Historic Documents of 2018 Heather Kerrigan, 2019-06-06 Published annually since 1972, the Historic Documents series has made primary source research easy by presenting excerpts from documents on the important events of each year for the United States and the World. Each volume pairs original background narratives with well over 100 documents to chronicle the major events of the year, from official reports and surveys to speeches from leaders and opinion makers, to court cases, legislation, testimony, and much more. Historic Documents is renowned for the well-written and informative background, history, and context it provides for each document. Each volume begins with an insightful essay that sets the year’s events in context, and each document or group of documents is preceded by a comprehensive introduction that provides background information on the event. Full-source citations are provided. Readers have easy access to material through a detailed, thematic table of contents, and each event includes references to related coverage and documents from the last ten editions of the series. Events covered in the 2018 Edition include: Historic U.S. and South Korean diplomatic advances with North Korea Investigation of Russian influence in U.S. elections Chinese constitutional changes granting presidential terms for life March for Our Lives and gun control demonstrations Changes to U.S. immigration and trade policies Legalization of marijuana in Canada Resignation of Australian prime minister Pope declares death penalty inadmissible Volumes in this series dating back to 1972 are available as online editions on SAGE Knowledge.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Nuclear Safeguards, Security, and Nonproliferation James Doyle, 2019-02-18 Nuclear Safeguards, Security and Nonproliferation: Achieving Security with Technology and Policy, Second Edition is a comprehensive reference covering the cutting-edge technologies used to trace, track and safeguard nuclear material. Sections cover security, the illicit trafficking of nuclear materials, improvised nuclear devices, and how to prevent nuclear terrorism. International case studies of security at nuclear facilities and illegal nuclear trade activities provide specific examples of the complex issues surrounding the technology and policy for nuclear material protection, control and accountability. New case studies include analyses of nuclear programs of important countries, such as North Korea, Iran, and Kazakhstan, among others. This is a thoroughly updated, must-have volume for private and public organizations involved in driving national security, domestic and international policy issues relating to nuclear material security, non-proliferation, and nuclear transparency.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: North Korean Military Proliferation in the Middle East and Africa Bruce E. BechtolJr., 2018-09-07 North Korea has posed a threat to stability in Northeast Asia for decades. Since Kim Jong-un assumed power, this threat has both increased and broadened. Since 2011, the small, isolated nation has detonated nuclear weapons multiple times, tested a wide variety of ballistic missiles, expanded naval and ground systems that threaten South Korea, and routinely employs hostile rhetoric. Another threat it poses has been less recognized: North Korea presents a potentially greater risk to American interests by exporting its weapons systems to other volatile regions worldwide. In North Korean Military Proliferation in the Middle East and Africa, Bruce E. Bechtol Jr. analyzes relevant North Korean military capabilities, what arms the nation provides, and to whom, how it skirts its sanctions, and how North Korea's activities can best be contained. He traces illicit networks that lead to state and nonstate actors in the Middle East, including Syria, Iran, Hezbollah, and Hamas, and throughout Africa, including at least a dozen nations. The potential proliferation of nuclear and chemical weapons technology and the vehicles that carry it, including ballistic missiles and artillery, represent a broader threat than the leadership in Pyongyang. Including training and infrastructure support, North Korea's profits may range into the billions of dollars, all concealed in illicit networks and front companies so complex that the nation struggles to track and control them. Bechtol not only presents an accurate picture of the current North Korean threat—he also outlines methodologies that Washington and the international community must embrace in order to contain it.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: National Security, Statecentricity, and Governance in East Asia Brendan Howe, 2017-10-11 This book assesses the extent to which an emphasis on national security and prioritization of state interests has dominated governance policy-making in Northeast and Southeast Asia, at the expense of human security, human development, and human rights. The findings are that in many cases, there are embedded structural obstacles to achieving human-centered governance objectives in the region. These relate to the role of the military, historical authoritarian legacies, and new authoritarian trends. Contributors examine not only the most obvious instances of military domination of governance in the region (North Korea with its “Military First” philosophy, Thailand since the 2014 coup, and Myanmar with its long history of military rule), but also less well known examples of the influence of conflict legacies upon governance in Cambodia, Timor-Leste, and Laos, as well as the emergence of new reservoirs of power and resources for the forces of authoritarianism.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Technology and Agency in International Relations Marijn Hoijtink, Matthias Leese, 2019-04-23 This book responds to a gap in the literature in International Relations (IR) by integrating technology more systematically into analyses of global politics. Technology facilitates, accelerates, automates, and exercises capabilities that are greater than human abilities. And yet, within IR, the role of technology often remains under-studied. Building on insights from science and technology studies (STS), assemblage theory and new materialism, this volume asks how international politics are made possible, knowable, and durable by and through technology. The contributors provide empirically rich and pertinent accounts of a variety of technologies relevant to the discipline, including drones, algorithms, satellite imagery, border management databases, and blockchains. Problematizing various technologically mediated issues, such as secrecy, violence, and questions of how authority and evidence become constituted in international contexts, this book will be of interest to scholars in IR, in particular those who work in the subfields of (critical) security studies, International Political Economy, and Global Governance. Chapter 7 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Defense Planning and Readiness of North Korea Ryo Hinata-Yamaguchi, 2021-04-26 How has North Korea developed and managed its military readiness to achieve its strategic ends? Hinata-Yamaguchi analyzes North Korea’s defense planning by looking at how political, economic, and societal factors affect the Korean People’s Army’s (KPA) readiness and strategies. He answers four key questions: How have the internal and external factors shaped North Korea’s security strategy? How do the political, economic, societal, and environmental factors impact North Korea’s defense planning? What are North Korea’s defense planning dilemmas and how do they impact the KPA’s readiness? What are the key implications for regional security and the strategies against North Korea? This analysis, drawing on various Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese sources on North Korea and military affairs, will be of great value to strategists and policy analysts as well as scholars of East Asian security issues.
  punggye ri nuclear test site: Kim Jong Un and the Bomb Ankit Panda, 2020-06-15 In September 2017, North Korea shocked the world by exploding the most powerful nuclear device tested anywhere in 25 years. Months earlier, it had conducted the first test flight of a missile capable of ranging much of the United States. By the end of that year, Kim Jong Un, the reclusive state's ruler, declared that his nuclear deterrent was complete. Today, North Korea's nuclear weapons stockpile and ballistic missile arsenal continues to grow, presenting one of the most serious challenges to international security to date. Internal regime propaganda has called North Korea's nuclear forces the country's treasured sword, underscoring the cherished place of these weapons in national strategy. Fiercely committed to self-reliance, Kim remains determined to avoid unilateral disarmament. Kim Jong Un and the Bomb tells the story of how North Korea-once derided in the 1970s as a fourth-rate pipsqueak of a country by President Richard Nixon-came to credibly threaten the American homeland by November 2017. Ankit Panda explores the contours of North Korea's nuclear capabilities, the developmental history of its weapons programs, and the prospects for disarming or constraining Kim's arsenal. With no signs that North Korea's total disarmament is imminent over the next years or even decade, Panda explores the consequences of a nuclear-armed North Korea for the United States, South Korea, and the world.