North Korea

MSNBC’s sources seem fairly certain that this test is going to go down soon – if not in the next few hours:

North Korea could carry out an underground test of a nuclear weapon as early as Tuesday night as the North’s reclusive leadership dramatically tries to up the stakes with the U.S. and the West, U.S. officials told NBC News.

U.S. officials say North Korea may already have an arsenal between 12 and a “few dozen” far more advanced weapons, many more than generally believed.

The officials couldn’t be specific on a date for the test, but they told NBC News they were “100 percent” certain there would be a nuclear test within the next two weeks or “at any time.”

I’ve updated the North Korea ThreatStream to monitor tweets about North Korea’s nuclear program and any potential test. You might want to keep an eye on it this evening.

Korea watchers are buzzing on Twitter after an unusual announcement from the North. Of course, North Korea churns out crazy threats on a daily basis but there seems to be more energy and specificity behind the recent activity – at least enough to cause concern. Here is the English translation, in its entirety, from KCNA:

Lee Myung Bak Group Warned of Quick Action by KPA Supreme Command Special Operation Action Group

Pyongyang, April 23 (KCNA) — The special operation action group of the Supreme Command of the Korean People’s Army issued the following notice Monday:

The indignation of the army and people of the DPRK at the group of rat-like Lee Myung Bak is running high.

Shouts “Destroy”, “Beat to death” and “Tear to death” are ringing out on this land.

But the Lee group of traitors is still doing mischiefs, not coming to its senses.

On April 20 they toured the “Institute for Unification Studies”, den of rats, in Suyu-dong, Kangbuk District, Seoul where they called for “orienting to system change in the north” if it does not give up its nuclear and missile ambitions, saying that “what is needed for the north now is not only bread but individual freedom and human rights”. They have gone so impudent as to assert that “co-op farms should be disorganized and agricultural reform be effected to help improve the livelihood of the citizens in the north”.

On April 19 they appeared in the puppet Scientific Institute for National Defense where they heaped praises on a few poor-looking missiles, saying they have precision and power enough to immediately strike any part of the DPRK, inviolable land. They had temerity of dare talking about “striking the supreme headquarters through office window”.

Puppet Defense Minister Kim Kwan Jin and other military warmongers danced to the tune.

The situation proves that the group of traitors has long lost its reasoning power.

In the meantime, paid conservative media which had long been reduced to a waiting maid of the group of traitors, worked with blood-shot eyes to build up public opinion in favor of the rats’ group.

Involved in the campaign were Dong-A Ilbo situated in the downtown Seoul as well as KBS, MBC, YTN and other media institutions.

The Lee group should have apologized for its high treasons tens of thousands of times and chosen death by itself.

This group is, however, challenging the north, grinding its teeth.

In view of the situation getting graver as the days go by, the KPA Supreme Command special operation action group issues the following notice upon authorization:

The special actions of our revolutionary armed forces will start soon to meet the reckless challenge of the group of traitors.

Those actions are an eruption of the public anger and resentment and a sacred war of all service personnel and people to protect the dignity of our supreme leadership.

Their targets are the Lee Myung Bak group of traitors, the arch criminals, and the group of rat-like elements including conservative media destroying the mainstay of the fair public opinion.

Once the above-said special actions kick off, they will reduce all the rat-like groups and the bases for provocations to ashes in three or four minutes, in much shorter time, by unprecedented peculiar means and methods of our own style.

Our revolutionary armed forces do not make an empty talk. -0-

Steve Herman’s sources are talking “cyber” so that may be an angle to watch:

Some sources I’m speaking with (jn & out of gov’t) speculate the threat could indicate plans for a big cyber attack on #ROK from #DPRK.

You can monitor developments with the North Korean ThreatStream. If something does happen Twitter will most likely light up with the news first.

What do I think will happen? The safe money is on not much happening at all – certainly nothing worthy of the hype.