North Korea Pacific Nuclear Testing Threats.....

North Korea this week stated they may test a Hydrogen weapon in the Pacific Ocean. It is important to understand the context of that threat.

The United States and the Soviet Union ended all atmospheric Nuclear testing in 1963.

All underground testing ended in 1991.

Between 1946 and 1963 the United States tested 105 Nuclear Weapons on (or around) islands in the Pacific. Those test created radioactive fallout that is still found in the Pacific today. It will be there for many (many) years to come.

Many islands that used to exist no longer do. They were vaporized. Other islands are no longer inhabitable. The United States has paid hundreds of millions in compensation to local island communities who suffered (and died) as a result of the US testing.

Since 1991 the only Nuclear Tests have occurred in India (2) , Pakistan (2) and North Korea (6) and all of those tests were underground.

Having new tests conducted above ground would be a major escalation. It would also be an enormous threat to the environment and world stability.