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CNN Live At Daybreak
New Worries Over North Korea's Nuclear Ambitions
Aired July 21, 2003 - 05:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Now to new worries over North Korea's nuclear ambitions. The U.S. suspects the communist nation may have a second nuclear weapons facility, a secret one.
Our Seoul bureau chief, Sohn Jie-Ae, joins us live by phone with more -- Jia-Ae, what can you tell us?
SOHN JIE-AE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the report from South Korean officials during the day today, our time, says that South Korean officials relatively dismiss this official report. The South Korean president dismissed this report and said that this was relatively low in reliability. That's what he was quoted as saying. And he also took this opportunity to express concern about various unclear and groundless media reports. And he said that this could throw cold water on South Korea's economy.
So what seems to be on his mind is the effect of these media -- of these reports having an adverse effect on South Korea's economy.
COSTELLO: But didn't officials detect some gases in the air that would prove that North Korea is developing a second nuclear weapons plant somewhere hidden in a mountainous region?
JIE-AE: Well, South Korean officials point out that this, although the fumes have been detected, it does not really verify the fact that these would be nuclear officials -- and they talk about some, this type of fumes resulting in other types of analysis. So they, at this point, are trying to be very, very cautious.
Now, this follows in line with the attitude taken by various South Korean officials over the past month to any type of reports coming from North Korea. South Korean officials are very concerned about this -- North Korean reports having an adverse effect on the economy. They're also concerned that these reports could lead to some type of military conflict, which is a very, very big concern for South Koreans.
COSTELLO: And a big concern for Americans, as well.
Sohn Jie-Ae reporting live by phone from South Korea this morning.
For more on the suspected secret nuclear facility in North Korea as well as a time line of the nation's nuclear program, visit our Web site for a special report. You know the address, cnn.com, AOL keyword: CNN.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired July 21, 2003 - 05:06 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Now to new worries over North Korea's nuclear ambitions. The U.S. suspects the communist nation may have a second nuclear weapons facility, a secret one.
Our Seoul bureau chief, Sohn Jie-Ae, joins us live by phone with more -- Jia-Ae, what can you tell us?
SOHN JIE-AE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the report from South Korean officials during the day today, our time, says that South Korean officials relatively dismiss this official report. The South Korean president dismissed this report and said that this was relatively low in reliability. That's what he was quoted as saying. And he also took this opportunity to express concern about various unclear and groundless media reports. And he said that this could throw cold water on South Korea's economy.
So what seems to be on his mind is the effect of these media -- of these reports having an adverse effect on South Korea's economy.
COSTELLO: But didn't officials detect some gases in the air that would prove that North Korea is developing a second nuclear weapons plant somewhere hidden in a mountainous region?
JIE-AE: Well, South Korean officials point out that this, although the fumes have been detected, it does not really verify the fact that these would be nuclear officials -- and they talk about some, this type of fumes resulting in other types of analysis. So they, at this point, are trying to be very, very cautious.
Now, this follows in line with the attitude taken by various South Korean officials over the past month to any type of reports coming from North Korea. South Korean officials are very concerned about this -- North Korean reports having an adverse effect on the economy. They're also concerned that these reports could lead to some type of military conflict, which is a very, very big concern for South Koreans.
COSTELLO: And a big concern for Americans, as well.
Sohn Jie-Ae reporting live by phone from South Korea this morning.
For more on the suspected secret nuclear facility in North Korea as well as a time line of the nation's nuclear program, visit our Web site for a special report. You know the address, cnn.com, AOL keyword: CNN.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
