South Korea says North Korea will test more nuclear bombs

December 15, 2006

South Korea has warned, in a letter to its military, that North Korea may test at least "two or three" more nuclear bombs if they feel that they have been "provoked."

"We have to be thoroughly prepared to counter the possibility of a second or third nuclear test by North Korea and a possible hostile act by it in the process of negotiations over its nuclear weapons program," said Kim Jang Soo, the South Korean Defense Minister in a letter addressed to their military. At least 130 commanders of South Korea's military held a special meeting before sending out the letter to the rest of the military personnel.

Six-party talks regarding North Korea's nuclear program are set to resume next week on Monday, December 18, 2006.

The letter also says that North Korea may try to "provoke [the South Korean's]" ahead the six-party talks and Soo has asked the military to be prepared for such an act and also warned that a nuclear strike is not off the table.

"[We have] a clear contingency plan against North Korea's nuclear threat ... by strengthening our monitoring and intelligence, our ability to conduct precision strikes and our nuclear defense," said Soo on Wednesday while reading from a 2007 report on South Korea's top priorities on policy.