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North Korea Threatens to 'Shatter' South

Pyongyang claims to have plutonium for 4 nuclear bombs

By Wesley Oliver, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 17, 2009 5:21 PM CST

(Newser) – North Korea threatened to “shatter” South Korea today as reports surfaced that Pyongyang may have enough plutonium stocks to produce at least four nuclear bombs, the Guardian reports. The North said rising hostilities with Seoul compelled it to take “an all-out confrontational posture” over a disputed maritime border that triggered clashes in 1999 and 2000.

Meanwhile, an American scholar said North Korean officials told him they have 68 lbs. of plutonium. North Korea expert Selig Harrison said he could not confirm the claims, but added that Pyongyang claims to seek friendly relations with Washington. Today, however, the North insisted that "there'll be no change in our status as a nuclear state as long as US nuclear threat remains.”

[Images (6)]

[Quotes (2)]

In this file photo, thousands of North Koreans turn colored cards to form the symbol for the atom as gymnasts perform on the field below during a "mass games" performance at a stadium in Pyongyang. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder, FILE)

North Korean soldiers use binoculars to look over the South side at the border village of the Panmunjom (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas since the Korean War, north of Seoul, South Korea. (AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man)

A North Korean soldier uses binoculars to look over the South side at the border village of the Panmunjom (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas since the Korean War, north of Seoul, South Korea. (AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man)

The U.N. nuclear agency said Wednesday Sept. 24, 2008 that North Korea plans to reinsert nuclear material into its Yongbyon reactor. (AP Photo/Space Imaging Asia, File)

A North Korean soldier looks at the South side at the border village of the Panmunjom (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas. (AP Photo/ Yonhap, Lee Sang-hak)

A North Korean soldier observes the south side using binoculars at the truce village of Panmunjom in the demilitarized zone (DMZ). (AP Photo/ Lee Jin-man)

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It will be wrong if the United States thinks that we are giving up nuclear programme in exchange for normalising diplomatic ties with them. - North Korean official

There'll be no change in our status as a nuclear state as long as US nuclear threat remains. - North Korean official

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North Korea Threatens to 'Shatter' South