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A U.S. official who heads an advisory committee for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says North Korea may possess more nuclear weapons than previously thought. The chairman, however, adds an attack on the North's nuclear facilities is not the best option.
William Schneider, Jr, Chairman of the Defense Science Board, a federal advisory committee that provides independent advice to the U.S. Secretary of Defense, said in an interview with Japan's Nihon Keizai newspaper that North Korea may have more nuclear weapons than U.S. intelligence agencies estimate.
Schneider said estimates that Pyongyang has six to eight nuclear weapons excludes external factors. He said the North could have illegally obtained more weapons or acquired nuclear material from overseas.
He added that Pyongyang does not necessarily need to conduct a nuclear test as it can secure necessary blueprints through information acquired through the camp of Abdul Qadeer Khan, known as the father of Pakistan's nuclear program.
Regarding the military's option of bombing the North's nuclear facilities as a way to solve the North's nuclear issue, he voiced caution. He said the process of locating missiles loaded with nuclear warheads and destroying them requires highly sophisticated technology.
He added that not knowing where the target is, the chances of an attack against the North were slim.
Arirang News
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