nuclear-news

Speculation on who will control North Korea’s nuclear weapons

Who Is in Charge of N.Korea’s Nuclear Weapons? Chosin Ilbo, 2 Jan 11 “…..A South Korean intelligence officer said the North Korean military attaches the greatest importance to the nuclear arms, and Kim Jong-un is now in charge of them. The regime is believed to have about 50 kg of plutonium extracted and up to 10 nuclear bombs, and there was some anxiety abroad who would control them in the power vacuum after former leader Kim Jong-il died.

But some experts say the 29-year-old Kim Jong-un has no military background and cannot really be in charge of the nuclear arms. He is nominally only a vice chairman of the commission, appointed alongside Ri Yong-ho, the chief of General Staff. One South Korean government official speculated that Ri probably controls the regime’s weapons of mass destruction, including any nuclear bombs.
Others believe the commission is collectively in control because it includes all the top military brass. They believe that the first thing the regime did after Kim Jong-il’s death was to ensure control of the nuclear weapons. …..
http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2011/12/26/2011122601337.html

January 2, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | North Korea, weapons and war