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N. Korea to develop nuclear-capable ICBMs within decade: Adm. Mullen

 WASHINGTON (Yonhap) -- North Korea will likely develop intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads within the coming decade, the chief U.S. military officer said Thursday.

   "There's little doubt in my mind, unless North Korea is deterred, that sometime in the next, I'm not sure but, five to 10 years, the provocations ... will continue at a much higher threat level, which could include a nuclear-capable ICBM," Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in an interview with Financial Times, according to a transcript released by the Pentagon. "That's what I believe we're looking at. I can't be precise about the time and say it's exactly here but clearly there is evolution going on there where the threat becomes much more serious."

   Mullen's statement is in tune with Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who said earlier this month that North Korea's missiles and nuclear weapons will pose a threat to the U.S. within five years.

Gates also urged North Korea to impose a moratorium on nuclear and missile testing to help revive the six-party nuclear talks.

   A six-party deal signed in 2005 by the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia calls for the North's nuclear dismantlement in return for massive economic aid and diplomatic and political benefits. The talks, however, have been deadlocked for more than two years over the North's nuclear and missile tests and other provocations.

   North Korea also revealed in November a uranium enrichment plant that could serve as a second way of building nuclear bombs in addition to its existing plutonium program, despite Pyongyang's claims it is producing fuel for power generation.

   "I think we all agree it's a more dangerous place now than it was a few months ago and that the provocations -- and this is all tied to the succession thing and Kim Jong Il, who's been a pretty unpredictable guy for a long time -- the worry tied to this revelation on the nuke, the uranium enrichment piece, all of that, that it's now more dangerous than it was a few months ago," Mullen said.

   The North's recent provocations, including the artillery attack on a South Korean border island and the sinking of a warship, are widely believed to be linked to the ailing North Korean leader Kim's plans to transfer power to his third and youngest son, Jong-un, in the unprecedented third generation hereditary power transition.

   The 28-year-old heir apparent, who like his father lacks a proper military background, is believed to be trying to rally support from the military, the only power base in the impoverished, but nuclear-armed communist state.

   North Korea detonated nuclear devices in 2006 and 2009, and conducted long-range missile tests three times - in 1998, 2006 and

2009 - which were seen as a partial success.

   Pyongyang is believed to have at least several nuclear weapons, with some experts saying it could have already developed nuclear warheads small enough to be mounted on ballistic missiles with the help of China or Pakistan.

In this Oct. 10, 2010 file photo, a North Korean missile is on the trucks make its way during a massive military parade to mark the 65th anniversary of the communist nation's ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP-Yonhap)
In this Oct. 10, 2010 file photo, a North Korean missile is on the trucks make its way during a massive military parade to mark the 65th anniversary of the communist nation's ruling Workers' Party in Pyongyang, North Korea. (AP-Yonhap)


美합참의장 "北 5∼10년내 핵역량 ICBM 보유"

"북 핵.미사일 기술 90년대 중반부터 진화"

    (워싱턴=연합뉴스)  마이크 멀린 미국 합참의장은 27일 북한의 핵.미사일 역량은 계속 진화하고 있으며 향후 5∼10년 이내에 북한은 핵무기를 탑재 할 수 있는 대륙간탄도미사일(ICBM)을 가질 수 있을 것이라고 말했다.

    합참이 이날 공개한 멀린 의장의 파이낸셜 타임스(FT) 인터뷰 발언록에 따르면 멀린 의장은 "북한이 억지되지 않을 경우 정확히 알 수 없지만 5∼10년후에 아주 일 상화된 김정일의 도발 위협이 훨씬 더 높은 수준에서 계속될 것"이라며 "그  위협에 는 핵역량을 가진 ICBM도 포함될 것"이라고 말했다.

    멀린 의장은 "북한은 수년동안 (핵.미사일) 실험을 해왔고 90년대 중반부터  지 금까지 기술을 진화시켜왔다"며 "북한은 우라늄농축계획을 공개적으로 밝혀 우리를 놀라게 했으며, 나에게 그것은 매우 강력한 메시지였다"고 말했다.

    그는 "북한에 대해 모르는 것이 많이 있지만 그 기술들은 발전해왔다"며 북한의 핵.미사일 개발 역량을 억지하지 않을 경우 큰 위협이 될 것이라고 거듭 강조했다.

   멀린 의장은 북한의 도발들이 권력승계과정과 연계돼 있다는 사실과  우라늄농축 프로그램 공개 등을 거론하며 "북한은 수개월전에 비해서 더 위험한 곳이 되었으며, 김정일은 매우 예측불가능한 사람"이라고 강조했다.

    

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