N. Korea not 'suicidal' enough to attack U.S.: Perry
2013-02-06 09:45
North Korea could conduct a nuclear test soon with either plutonium-based devices or highly enriched uranium, or with both, "a destabilizing event" that would prevent the United States from returning to negotiations but would not threaten the country, a former U.S. secretary of defense said Wednesday.

Pyongyang has vowed to conduct its third nuclear test in retaliation for the U.N. Security Council's resolution condemning its Dec. 12 long-range rocket launch, and there have been a series of signs indicating its imminent detonation.

Making good on the nuclear threat, the North issued a string of warnings that it will "target the U.S."

"I think they are technically ready or will be ready in a few weeks (for the nuclear test)," William Perry said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency. "It all depends on its political decision.

They have to decide their political cost of the test."

Perry, who served as Washington's point man on Pyongyang during the Clinton era, also noted that the North can make "a couple of bombs per year with its highly enriched uranium," adding it would either conduct "the first test with bombs made of high enriched uranium" or "the plutonium design they already have to make missiles," or they could do the both...
[link to nwww.koreaherald.com]