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A Test in North Korea

Tensions ran high last week as the world reacted to North Korea's announcement that it had tested a nuclear weapon. Though North Korea claimed that the underground test of the weapon was a success, the evidence was not clear. Intelligence officials believe that North Korea is still years away from being able to launch a nuclear attack.

North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Il, is considered an unpredictable and harsh dictator. In 1994, North Korea signed an agreement with the U.S. to stop trying to build nuclear weapons in return for fuel oil and other aid. North Korea later broke the deal.

World leaders were united in their opposition to the test. President George W. Bush called it "a threat to international peace." Since 2003, North Korea has taken part in talks about its nuclear program with China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the U.S. North Korea wants one-on-one talks with the U.S. But Bush insists that the U.N. and other nations must stand together.

"Peace on the Korean Peninsula requires that these nations send a clear message that [North Korea's] actions will not be tolerated," Bush says.

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