north Korea at flash point ?

[Cobramad]

I feel the greatest threat to regional stability is a conventional war, NK has a massive standing army. For the first time in years, the SK are saying they are prepared to respond to any NK action. This will certainly hear things up.

[2011G6E]

I found it interesting that after NK's last "nuclear test" surrounding countries were very interested in testing the air for traces gases that are always released after an atomic explosion, so that they can examine them and work out yield, what the bomb was made from, and what sort of standard it was.

This time they found...none. Not any. Interesting.

Another interesting fact is that atomic weapon yield is measured in tons of TNT...1 kiloton equals a thousand tons of TNT, 1 megaton equals a million tonnes, etc.
Did you know if you do as the Americans did back before they actually started real atomic testing, and pile up a thousand tons of TNT and blow it up, you get almost exactly the same explosion as a one kiloton nuke?

Except there wont be any radioactive trace gases released...as with a real nuke blast...


There are suspicions that North Korea may not even be able to actually build a proper nuke, and merely blew up huge amounts of conventional explosive underground and said to the world proudly "look at my nukes!", in an effort to frighten everyone and look better than they actually are...

[nstg8a]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

I found it interesting that after NK's last "nuclear test" surrounding countries were very interested in testing the air for traces gases that are always released after an atomic explosion, so that they can examine them and work out yield, what the bomb was made from, and what sort of standard it was.

This time they found...none. Not any. Interesting.

Another interesting fact is that atomic weapon yield is measured in tons of TNT...1 kiloton equals a thousand tons of TNT, 1 megaton equals a million tonnes, etc.
Did you know if you do as the Americans did back before they actually started real atomic testing, and pile up a thousand tons of TNT and blow it up, you get almost exactly the same explosion as a one kiloton nuke?

Except there wont be any radioactive trace gases released...as with a real nuke blast...


There are suspicions that North Korea may not even be able to actually build a proper nuke, and merely blew up huge amounts of conventional explosive underground and said to the world proudly "look at my nukes!", in an effort to frighten everyone and look better than they actually are...

I've read a few opinion pieces that say basically the same thing, that the nk military capability is being vastly over stated, some say by the North Koreans themselves, some by the western media and military 'experts'

Other than a massive standing army they seem to have a pretty basic style of military, relying on tech like scud missiles etc. scuds didn't work so well for saddam. All of their longer range stuff is very much untested.
Even their showpiece long range missile they proudly displayed recently is widely considered to be a mock up or fake.

[mik]

Originally Posted by Cobramad

I feel the greatest threat to regional stability is a conventional war, NK has a massive standing armyactually For the first time in years, the SK are saying they are prepared to respond to any NK action. This will certainly hear things up.

I agree mate, how many times have we seen over the decades wars fought and the aftermath being basically small civil wars that go for years and years, it's anyones guess how this will end up playing out, I think any responses on the part of the US will have to be very carefully measured, even though north and south are at war I suspect the little people in the street of north and south are still very much country men if you know what I mean.

Maybe I'm wrong but I could see a bit of rebellion from the south if US annilated the north, I suspect this is what kim jong actually wants.