N Korea's nuclear statement proves nothing: Seoul
North Korea's declaration that it possesses nuclear weapons does not make it a nuclear weapons state, South Korea's unification minister said yesterday, clearly skeptical about the veracity and timing of Pyongyang's statement.
Last week, North Korea explicitly said for the first time that it possessed nuclear weapons in a serious challenge to South Korea, the United States and China, which have all played lead roles in trying to curb the communist state's atomic ambitions.
Pyongyang also said it was pulling out of so-called six-party talks on its nuclear programs because of what it called US hostility.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Minister Chung Dong-young said there was no evidence of nuclear testing by the North and it was premature to conclude North Korea possessed nuclear weapons.
"There is no doubt that North Korea has 10 to 14 kg (22 lb to 31 lb) of plutonium, but there is no evidence that the North has turned it into plutonium bombs," Chung told parliament.
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