North Korea ninth nuclear power

The daily Le Temps writes that North Korea has become a new nuclear power: "Test successful. For those who still had doubts, North Korea has now indeed become the ninth nuclear power. … Some experts had described a first test carried out in October 2006 as a 'wet banger'. The US refused to see the regime of Kim Jong-il as a nuclear state. But doubts can no longer be admitted. … This second test fulfils two requirements. As regards internal politics, the dying Kim Jong-il is intent on reaffirming his rule - and this at a time when the succession in a particularly impenetrable regime remains a tense issue. On the international stage the tactic of this last remnant of Stalinism remains the same: exploiting its own potential for destruction to obtain food and energy aid and thus force the US into negotiations on an equal footing."

» full article (external link, French)
More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Asia
All available articles from » Frédéric Koller

» To the complete press review of Tuesday, May 26, 2009