| The United States says the nuclear test | | | | the world. |
| threatened by North Korea would be a reckless | | | | The Bush administration says the penalties were |
| and provocative act. Ambassador to the United | | | | intended to counter North Korean |
| Nations John Bolton says the matter will be raised | | | | money-laundering and counterfeiting of U.S. |
| in the Security Council. | | | | currency. U.S. spokesmen have said the issue is |
| U.S. officials believe Pyongyang has possessed at | | | | unrelated to the nuclear talks, but that the United |
| least a small number of nuclear weapons for | | | | States is prepared to discuss the matter with |
| more than a decade, but an actual test would | | | | Pyongyang if it returns to the six-party forum. |
| greatly raise the stakes in international diplomacy | | | | North Korea said in its statement Tuesday that, |
| over the North Korean program. | | | | what it called U.S. threats of war, and sanctions |
| Traveling with Secretary of State Condoleezza | | | | compelled it to conduct a nuclear test, and said |
| Rice in Cairo, State Department spokesman Sean | | | | that without a reliable deterrent its sovereignty |
| McCormack said a nuclear test by North Korea | | | | was bound to be impinged on. |
| would pose an unacceptable threat to peace and | | | | In July, North Korea conducted a salvo of missile |
| stability in Asia and the world. | | | | tests including a failed launch of an |
| He said that such a provocative step would | | | | intercontinental-range missile that ended a |
| further isolate the reclusive communist state, and | | | | self-imposed moratorium on long-range testing. |
| the United States will work with its allies and | | | | A subsequent resolution in the U.N. Security |
| partners to discourage such a reckless action and | | | | Council condemned the tests and called for U.N. |
| will respond appropriately. | | | | member countries to bar trade with North Korea |
| McCormack said a test would severely undermine | | | | that could support its missile program or |
| U.S. confidence in North Korea's commitment to | | | | unconventional weapons efforts. |
| the Chinese-sponsored six-party talks, in which | | | | There have been numerous reports, quoting U.S. |
| Pyongyang has been offered aid and security | | | | and South Korean intelligence sources in recent |
| guarantees for giving up its nuclear program. | | | | years of possible North Korean preparations for |
| North Korea agreed in principle to accept such a | | | | an underground nuclear test. |
| deal in September of last year, but it has not | | | | U.S. experts believe Pyongyang may have |
| returned to the six-party talks since a brief | | | | possessed a few nuclear weapons since the late |
| session in Beijing last November. | | | | 1990s, but gained enough fissionable material to |
| The North Korean government says it is | | | | build several more devices after it expelled U.N. |
| boycotting the talks because of U.S. sanctions | | | | inspectors from its Yongbyong reactor complex in |
| imposed last year against a Macao-based Chinese | | | | late 2002 and began extracting plutonium from |
| bank, Banco Delta Asia, that had been one of | | | | spent fuel rods. |
| Pyongyang's main financial outlets to the rest of | | | | |