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VOA: NK Used 5 Kg of Plutonium During 2nd Nuke Test

News2009-12-12
VOA: NK Used 5 Kg of Plutonium During 2nd Nuke Test

The Voice of America says North Korea is believed to have used five kilograms of plutonium when it conducted its second nuclear test in May.

The report quoted a recent report by the International Panel on Fissile Materials as saying that Pyongyang is estimated to have used two kilograms of plutonium during its first nuclear test in October 2006 and five kilograms during its second nuclear test this year.

The independent group of arms-control and nonproliferation experts said that if the North has reprocessed all of its spent nuclear fuel rods, it would have extracted eight to 12 kilograms of additional plutonium and as a result could have a total of 34 kilograms of plutonium.

The group said the North could possibly have five or more nuclear weapons.

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