NYT Reports More N.Korea Nuke Test Suspicions

http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200505/200505060025.html

Unnamed U.S. officials again told the New York Times they are paying close attention to satellite photos they say may show extensive preparation for an underground nuclear test in North Korea. The paper said Friday the White House and Defense officials spotted what could be construction of a reviewing stand and transport of concrete and other materials considered essential for nuclear tests into tunnels that could be used in a nuclear test.
A high-ranking U.S. intelligence official who analyzed satellite photos of Kilju County, North Hamgyeong Province said, "There's grout and concrete that goes into the hole, and normally you don't see that in a mine. A mine you want as open as possible. There's a lot of activity, taking stuff in as opposed to taking it out." He said a nuclear test tunnel needed concrete to plug the entrance to lock in the force of the powerful blast.
"What we're seeing is everything you need to test," one anonymous official told the paper. "We've never seen this level of activity." He added, "This looks like the real thing. There is wide agreement in the [intelligence] community." But the NYT said there were no clear signs of the electronic equipment needed to monitor the scale and success of a nuclear test, leaving open the possibility that the activity was a sophisticated ruse by North Korea to strengthen its bargaining position.
The daily said the White House was paying particular attention to construction of a reviewing stand officials say is luxurious by North Korean standards several miles from the suspected test site. One official told the paper Western intelligence bodies, caught off guard by North Korea's missile launch in 1998, went back to review satellite photos to see if they missed anything. "What was interesting is they built a reviewing stand for that launch, but that wasn't noticed," he said. "They had visitors from other countries in. We had seen movement, but we didn't know what for. The idea was that they invited other people to watch this other thing."

Now, I am no Nuclear expert. And I know only so much about what it would take to test a bomb, but one thing comes to mind, actually, one story comes to mind. I remember some ten years back the DPRK was being accused of planning some tests inside of a mountain. The international community had satellite photos of all the action going on. Well, the North Koreans said if the UN/US wanted to take a look, they'd have to pay (I can't remember how big the rice shipment was but it's more than I make). The US and others paid and were treated to a beautifully hollowed out mountain containing... Nothing! Remember, nothing is what it seems in the DPRK.

As well, I'm more than skeptical of satellite intelligence coming out of the US these days ;P