North Korea agrees to stop uranium enrichment, long-range missile tests

[timhau]

So sayeth the BBC. As a reward, Best Korea gets a food aid package from the US.

I know North Korea has a long history of saying one thing and doing another, but I have a hard time seeing how this is not a good thing. I hope it's a sign that the new leadership is about to turn a new page in North Korean politics and not a preamble of some new weird that they intend to pull soon.

 

[Toontown]

Again?

They always agree to stop doing something when they want free food, fuel rods, or whatever. It won't last. Before you know it they'll be lobbing another missile over Japan in the general direction of Los Angeles.

 

[Fishstick]

Does/will NK entertain visits from nuclear inspectors to determine that they did in fact stop, before rewards are given?

 

[AsleepAtTheKeyboard]

When was NK last enriching uranium though, I thought they had plutonium bombs?

 

[angrysoba]

So sayeth the BBC. As a reward, Best Korea gets a food aid package from the US.

I know North Korea has a long history of saying one thing and doing another, but I have a hard time seeing how this is not a good thing. I hope it's a sign that the new leadership is about to turn a new page in North Korean politics and not a preamble of some new weird that they intend to pull soon.

I wouldn't hold your breath if I were you.

Again?

They always agree to stop doing something when they want free food, fuel rods, or whatever. It won't last. Before you know it they'll be lobbing another missile over Japan in the general direction of Los Angeles.

I don't think it was aimed at Los Angeles. For one thing LA has the largest Korean population outside of Korea.

 

[timhau]

I wouldn't hold your breath if I were you.

As I hinted, I'm not. I'm still relatively certain it isn't bad news, but whether it is good news, time will tell. I have my doubts.

I don't think it was aimed at Los Angeles. For one thing LA has the largest Korean population outside of Korea.

Does that enter into their calculations? If a war starts on the Korean peninsula, NK artillery stands ready to hammer Seoul at a moment's notice, and Seoul has the largest Korean population in the known Universe.

 

[Beerina]

Again?

They always agree to stop doing something when they want free food, fuel rods, or whatever. It won't last. Before you know it they'll be lobbing another missile over Japan in the general direction of Los Angeles.

It's like politicians removing loopholes in the tax code -- to give themselves a new 15 year period to dole out the same tax breaks in exchange for bribes (mostly legal, keep in mind) all over again.

 

[rjh01]

When was NK last enriching uranium though, I thought they had plutonium bombs?

You could have a point there. North Korea could be saying "yes we will stop enriching Uranium beyond what is needed for electricity generation, and stop processing spent fuel rods to extract the plutonium, even dismantle those facilities. We just will not tell you about the bombs we have already constructed or are under construction."

 

[McHrozni]

You could have a point there. North Korea could be saying "yes we will stop enriching Uranium beyond what is needed for electricity generation, and stop processing spent fuel rods to extract the plutonium, even dismantle those facilities. We just will not tell you about the bombs we have already constructed or are under construction."

Something like that. It was "Sure, we will dismantle all our uranium-based projects. See? You're the bad guys. We also won't discuss our plutonium-based projects, we already stopped uranium ones so STFU" the last time around.

McHrozni

 

[angrysoba]

As I hinted, I'm not. I'm still relatively certain it isn't bad news, but whether it is good news, time will tell. I have my doubts.

Then I agree.

Does that enter into their calculations? If a war starts on the Korean peninsula, NK artillery stands ready to hammer Seoul at a moment's notice, and Seoul has the largest Korean population in the known Universe.

You're correct about that too.

 

[angrysoba]

You could have a point there. North Korea could be saying "yes we will stop enriching Uranium beyond what is needed for electricity generation, and stop processing spent fuel rods to extract the plutonium, even dismantle those facilities. We just will not tell you about the bombs we have already constructed or are under construction."

I know nuffink about nuclear power except from wot I heard.

Isn't it true that such plants have to be shut down as part of the processing anyway?