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Ryanggang explosion

January 01, 1970

The Ryanggang explosion was a large explosion that took place in North Korea on 9 September 2004 in the northern province of Ryanggang. The nature and cause of the suspected explosion is the subject of speculation. No neighboring nations have claimed any detection of radioactive isotopes characteristic of a nuclear explosion.

The suspected explosion edit

The suspected explosion occurred near Wŏltan Workers' District (Wŏltal-lodongjagu) (41°19'47"N 127°05'02"E) in the county of Kimhyŏngjik in Ryanggang Province, a mountainous region, about 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) above sea level. The explosion was about 30 kilometres (19 mi) from the border with China. The area contains several military installations, including the Yeongjeo-dong ballistic missile base.[1]

Early reports stated that seismic activity had been detected early on 9 September 2004, and this was correlated with a "strangely shaped cloud", suspected to be a mushroom cloud. Together these would indicate a large explosion. The date, 9 September 2004, the 56th anniversary of the formation of North Korea, was taken as significant because North Korea has a history of making grand military gestures on significant dates. However, the original reports have been contradicted by later reports denying that there was any explosion.[2]

Reaction edit

The incident was not reported internationally until 12 September 2004, when the South Korean news agency Yonhap cited a source in Beijing, China, which said a mushroom cloud had been observed. In addition, suspicion was raised by the fact that there was no mention of the explosion on internal North Korean media. However, North Korean news is usually a method employed by governing figures to make the ruling party's decisions more favourable to the people (national and internationally); therefore, unfavourable stories are commonly not broadcast. The Ryongchon disaster earlier in 2004 was reported only several days after the event.

There was immediate popular speculation that the explosion was nuclear in origin. United States Secretary of State Colin Powell said there was "no indication" that it was nuclear, and South Korea similarly said that it did not appear to be nuclear. It would be some days before the effects of a nuclear explosion would be unequivocally visible to apolitical authorities. It would not be possible to hide the nuclear nature of such an explosion for long, as the radioactive isotopes created by a nuclear explosion would be detectable to outside observers around the world.

From North Korea edit

North Korea initially denied that the explosion was nuclear. When prompted for an explanation, North Korea's foreign minister, Paek Nam-sun, officially stated that the explosion "was in fact the deliberate demolition of a mountain as part of a huge hydroelectric project". North Korea announced on 13 September 2004 that the British ambassador, David Slinn, would be permitted to visit the site. Diplomats from the United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Russia and Mongolia visited what was purported to be the site on 16 September 2004, and reported having seen a hydroelectric project under construction. However, South Korea said the diplomats had not been in the correct location and were about 100 km (62 mi) from the suspected explosion site.

From South Korea edit

On 17 September 2004, South Korean Vice Minister of Unification Rhee Bong-jo claimed that there was no explosion at all at the purported site, saying the supposed mushroom cloud was a natural cloud formation (mushroom clouds form from many types of large explosions, not only nuclear detonations). On the same day, the Korea Earthquake Research Center reported that the only seismic activity in Ryanggang province in the period in question was at 23:24 Korea Standard Time (UTC +9) on 8 September 2004 at Mount Baekdu, about 100 km from the suspected blast site.

North Korean disarmament talks edit

See also: North Korea nuclear weapons program

At the time of the blast, North Korea was under pressure to again resume six-way diplomatic talks concerning its nuclear program with the United States, South Korea, China, Russia, and Japan. North Korea was insisting on a delay before a fourth round of talks, citing recently revealed South Korean nuclear research programs. On 14 September 2004, a British envoy said that North Korea was still committed to the talks, but on 27 September 2004, the KCNA, North Korea's state news agency, reported that resumption of the talks was out of the question until the United States made certain concessions.

Since the initial days, there has been essentially no follow-up reporting in Western media.

On 28 September, North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choi Su-heon announced at the United Nations General Assembly that it had turned plutonium from 8,000 spent fuel rods into nuclear weapons as a deterrent against the US nuclear threat. Six-nation talks on the nuclear issue, which were due to resume, were instead suspended. As of this date, analysts believed North Korea had ruled out further talks until after the United States presidential election in November 2008.

Since then, North Korea has conducted multiple nuclear weapons tests and issued several threats of war on South Korea. As of April 2018, North Korea along with South Korea have announced their intentions to completely denuclearize the Korean peninsular and finally declare peace between the two Koreas.[3]

Cause edit

There has been a great deal of speculation on the nature of the incident. Hypotheses can be divided on several axes.

Things that could cause the physical phenomena observed:

If there was an explosion, the main possible causes:

  • Explosive remnants of war. Unexploded ordnance from the Korean War become increasingly unstable as they deteriorate. The United States dropped 635,000 tons of bombs in Korea between 1950 and 1953.[4]
  • North Korea's official explanation of controlled demolition for a hydroelectric project.[5]
  • A nuclear weapon test or demonstration. Recent intelligence reported that North Korea might have been planning its first nuclear bomb test, and the significant date lends credence to this hypothesis. However, it would be unusual for North Korea to then deny it, and international officials have stated that it does not appear to have been a nuclear explosion. (Later updates in intelligence suggested that the test planning may have not been what it appeared to be.)
  • A nuclear accident. Likewise, it has been denied that the explosion was nuclear.
  • A large chemical explosive blast, to calibrate for a later nuclear test.
  • Explosion of a munitions dump, or of explosives in a munitions factory.

Finally, another way to divide up explosion hypotheses is by how intentional it was:

  • Intended by North Korea.
  • Accidental. North Korea's failing economy has made its industry accident-prone, as seen in the Ryongchon disaster earlier in 2004.
  • Covert operation by a foreign state.[6]
  • Military or terrorist action connected with an internal power struggle.

North Korea's claim to possess nuclear weapons on 10 February 2005 gives the nuclear testing or accident hypotheses some credibility. However, no neighboring nations have claimed any detection of radioactive isotopes which would be characteristic of either. North Korea claimed to have tested its first nuclear weapon on 9 October 2006. There have since been multiple nuclear tests by North Korea.

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Dave Schmerler (6 December 2018). "NORTH KOREAN MISSILE BASE AT YEONGJEO-DONG". Arms Control Wonk. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  2. ^ South Korea: No big blast in North Korea 2004-09-22 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ "'New era of peace': North and South Korea vow 'no more war' on peninsula". ABC News. 2018-04-27. Retrieved 2018-04-28.
  4. ^ Dwight Garner (July 21, 2010). "Carpet-Bombing Falsehoods About a War That's Little Understood". New York Times. from the original on October 30, 2015. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
  5. ^ "Satellite Photos Should Reveal Causes of Ryanggang Explosion". The Chosun Ilbo. Oct 14, 2004. from the original on March 5, 2015. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
  6. ^ Nate Thayer (June 20, 2013). "The odd tale of a lone Israeli spy and North Korea". NK News. from the original on June 27, 2013. Retrieved June 20, 2013.

External links edit

  • BBC News: N. Korea blast 'was not nuclear'
  • BBC News: UK demands N. Korea explain blast
  • BBC News: N. Korea allows blast site visit
  • BBC News: N. Korea 'will talk' says UK envoy
  • Nuclear Test in North Korea? (commentary suggesting that the blast was in fact nuclear)
  • HoustonChronicle.com: North Korea: Talks depend on South
  • China Daily: No explosion at all

41°19′47″N 127°05′02″E / 41.32972°N 127.08389°E / 41.32972; 127.08389

January 01, 1970
ryanggang, explosion, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, a. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Ryanggang explosion news newspapers books scholar JSTOR June 2013 Learn how and when to remove this message This article possibly contains original research Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations Statements consisting only of original research should be removed January 2008 Learn how and when to remove this message Learn how and when to remove this message The Ryanggang explosion was a large explosion that took place in North Korea on 9 September 2004 in the northern province of Ryanggang The nature and cause of the suspected explosion is the subject of speculation No neighboring nations have claimed any detection of radioactive isotopes characteristic of a nuclear explosion Contents 1 The suspected explosion 2 Reaction 2 1 From North Korea 2 2 From South Korea 3 North Korean disarmament talks 4 Cause 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksThe suspected explosion editThe suspected explosion occurred near Wŏltan Workers District Wŏltal lodongjagu 41 19 47 N 127 05 02 E in the county of Kimhyŏngjik in Ryanggang Province a mountainous region about 1 500 metres 4 900 ft above sea level The explosion was about 30 kilometres 19 mi from the border with China The area contains several military installations including the Yeongjeo dong ballistic missile base 1 Early reports stated that seismic activity had been detected early on 9 September 2004 and this was correlated with a strangely shaped cloud suspected to be a mushroom cloud Together these would indicate a large explosion The date 9 September 2004 the 56th anniversary of the formation of North Korea was taken as significant because North Korea has a history of making grand military gestures on significant dates However the original reports have been contradicted by later reports denying that there was any explosion 2 Reaction editThe incident was not reported internationally until 12 September 2004 when the South Korean news agency Yonhap cited a source in Beijing China which said a mushroom cloud had been observed In addition suspicion was raised by the fact that there was no mention of the explosion on internal North Korean media However North Korean news is usually a method employed by governing figures to make the ruling party s decisions more favourable to the people national and internationally therefore unfavourable stories are commonly not broadcast The Ryongchon disaster earlier in 2004 was reported only several days after the event There was immediate popular speculation that the explosion was nuclear in origin United States Secretary of State Colin Powell said there was no indication that it was nuclear and South Korea similarly said that it did not appear to be nuclear It would be some days before the effects of a nuclear explosion would be unequivocally visible to apolitical authorities It would not be possible to hide the nuclear nature of such an explosion for long as the radioactive isotopes created by a nuclear explosion would be detectable to outside observers around the world From North Korea edit North Korea initially denied that the explosion was nuclear When prompted for an explanation North Korea s foreign minister Paek Nam sun officially stated that the explosion was in fact the deliberate demolition of a mountain as part of a huge hydroelectric project North Korea announced on 13 September 2004 that the British ambassador David Slinn would be permitted to visit the site Diplomats from the United Kingdom Sweden Germany the Czech Republic Poland Russia and Mongolia visited what was purported to be the site on 16 September 2004 and reported having seen a hydroelectric project under construction However South Korea said the diplomats had not been in the correct location and were about 100 km 62 mi from the suspected explosion site From South Korea edit On 17 September 2004 South Korean Vice Minister of Unification Rhee Bong jo claimed that there was no explosion at all at the purported site saying the supposed mushroom cloud was a natural cloud formation mushroom clouds form from many types of large explosions not only nuclear detonations On the same day the Korea Earthquake Research Center reported that the only seismic activity in Ryanggang province in the period in question was at 23 24 Korea Standard Time UTC 9 on 8 September 2004 at Mount Baekdu about 100 km from the suspected blast site North Korean disarmament talks editSee also North Korea nuclear weapons program At the time of the blast North Korea was under pressure to again resume six way diplomatic talks concerning its nuclear program with the United States South Korea China Russia and Japan North Korea was insisting on a delay before a fourth round of talks citing recently revealed South Korean nuclear research programs On 14 September 2004 a British envoy said that North Korea was still committed to the talks but on 27 September 2004 the KCNA North Korea s state news agency reported that resumption of the talks was out of the question until the United States made certain concessions Since the initial days there has been essentially no follow up reporting in Western media On 28 September North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choi Su heon announced at the United Nations General Assembly that it had turned plutonium from 8 000 spent fuel rods into nuclear weapons as a deterrent against the US nuclear threat Six nation talks on the nuclear issue which were due to resume were instead suspended As of this date analysts believed North Korea had ruled out further talks until after the United States presidential election in November 2008 Since then North Korea has conducted multiple nuclear weapons tests and issued several threats of war on South Korea As of April 2018 North Korea along with South Korea have announced their intentions to completely denuclearize the Korean peninsular and finally declare peace between the two Koreas 3 Cause editThere has been a great deal of speculation on the nature of the incident Hypotheses can be divided on several axes Things that could cause the physical phenomena observed A large chemical explosive blast A forest fire The United States National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice said maybe it was some kind of forest fire The Yonhap news agency also quoted a source suggesting a forest fire A natural cumulonimbus cloud formation If there was an explosion the main possible causes Explosive remnants of war Unexploded ordnance from the Korean War become increasingly unstable as they deteriorate The United States dropped 635 000 tons of bombs in Korea between 1950 and 1953 4 North Korea s official explanation of controlled demolition for a hydroelectric project 5 A nuclear weapon test or demonstration Recent intelligence reported that North Korea might have been planning its first nuclear bomb test and the significant date lends credence to this hypothesis However it would be unusual for North Korea to then deny it and international officials have stated that it does not appear to have been a nuclear explosion Later updates in intelligence suggested that the test planning may have not been what it appeared to be A nuclear accident Likewise it has been denied that the explosion was nuclear A large chemical explosive blast to calibrate for a later nuclear test Explosion of a munitions dump or of explosives in a munitions factory Finally another way to divide up explosion hypotheses is by how intentional it was Intended by North Korea Accidental North Korea s failing economy has made its industry accident prone as seen in the Ryongchon disaster earlier in 2004 Covert operation by a foreign state 6 Military or terrorist action connected with an internal power struggle North Korea s claim to possess nuclear weapons on 10 February 2005 gives the nuclear testing or accident hypotheses some credibility However no neighboring nations have claimed any detection of radioactive isotopes which would be characteristic of either North Korea claimed to have tested its first nuclear weapon on 9 October 2006 There have since been multiple nuclear tests by North Korea See also editNorth Korea and weapons of mass destruction Behind Enemy Lines II Axis of Evil direct to video action film based on the enemy action theory of the explosion References edit Dave Schmerler 6 December 2018 NORTH KOREAN MISSILE BASE AT YEONGJEO DONG Arms Control Wonk Retrieved 25 June 2021 South Korea No big blast in North Korea Archived 2004 09 22 at the Wayback Machine New era of peace North and South Korea vow no more war on peninsula ABC News 2018 04 27 Retrieved 2018 04 28 Dwight Garner July 21 2010 Carpet Bombing Falsehoods About a War That s Little Understood New York Times Archived from the original on October 30 2015 Retrieved June 20 2013 Satellite Photos Should Reveal Causes of Ryanggang Explosion The Chosun Ilbo Oct 14 2004 Archived from the original on March 5 2015 Retrieved June 20 2013 Nate Thayer June 20 2013 The odd tale of a lone Israeli spy and North Korea NK News Archived from the original on June 27 2013 Retrieved June 20 2013 External links editBBC News N Korea blast was not nuclear BBC News UK demands N Korea explain blast BBC News N Korea allows blast site visit BBC News N Korea will talk says UK envoy Nuclear Test in North Korea commentary suggesting that the blast was in fact nuclear HoustonChronicle com North Korea Talks depend on South Digital Chosunilbo Signs Indicate No Explosion Occurred in N Korea s Kim Hyong jik County China Daily No explosion at all KCNA Blasts U S for Overturning Groundwork of Six party Talks 41 19 47 N 127 05 02 E 41 32972 N 127 08389 E 41 32972 127 08389 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ryanggang explosion amp oldid 1210819674, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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