N. Korea Nuke Plant Spooks U.S.

New revelations about an advanced uranium-enrichment facility in North Korea aren’t surprising, according to administration officials, but rather a confirmation of long-held concerns that the rogue nation is seeking to build up its arsenal of nuclear weapons. The facility could create “a number” of weapons, said Defense Secretary Robert Gates today. The discovery also raises questions about whether a foreign government, such as Iran, helped the North Koreans to set up their sophisticated system. Despite these worries, the U.S. special envoy to North Korea, Stephen Bosworth, called the news “disappointing” and “provocative,” but “not a crisis.”