DPRK's nuclear test powered by plutonium
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-10-18 09:51
WASHINGTON -- US intelligence agencies have concluded that last week's
nuclear test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) was fuelled by
plutonium, the New York Times reported Tuesday.
The newspaper quoted unidentified officials as reporting that the explosion
was most likely not fuelled by uranium, but rather by plutonium harvested from
its small nuclear reactor.
The DPRK announced on Oct. 9 that it had successfully conducted its first
nuclear test.
U.S. authorities and intelligence officials were reportedly watching for
indications that the DPRK might be preparing for a second nuclear test.
"The DPRK have made no secret of their desire to be provocative. The first
test did have a low yield and perhaps it would not be unreasonable to expect
that they would like to try to something again," White House spokesman Tony Snow
said on Tuesday.
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