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N.korea may do another nuclear test

North Korea could conduct another nuclear test next year in an attempt to solidify itself as an atomic power, a news report said on Friday, citing a state-run South Korean think tank.

Updated on: Dec 26, 2009, 01:35:29 IST
AP | By , Seoul
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North Korea could conduct another nuclear test next year in an attempt to solidify itself as an atomic power, a news report said on Friday, citing a state-run South Korean think tank.

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The Korea Institute for Defence Analyses said in a report that the communist nation won’t give up its nuclear ambitions and could test an atomic device in an attempt to assert itself as a nuclear weapons state, according to Yonhap news agency.

North Korea carried out its first nuclear test in 2006 and the second, more powerful test blast in May. The think tank said the second test was five times as powerful as the first one and demonstrated progress Pyongyang had made in its capabilities to build atomic bombs.

A third test “would increase the possibility of the international community accepting North Korea as a nuclear weapons state,” the report was quoted as saying. The North could also test-fire a long-range missile, and provoke military clashes with South Korea near their land, sea and air borders next year, Yonhap cited the report as saying.

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