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The Inquiry

North Korea deep dive

The Inquiry

BBC

News Commentary, News

4.61.7K Ratings

🗓️ 22 December 2017

⏱️ 51 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

What next for North Korea? Kim Jong-un's nuclear ambitions and their global repercussions are explored in this special, extended edition of the programme.

After a year of repeated weapons testing by the secretive regime that’s sparked a war of words with the United States, Ruth Alexander brings together six expert witnesses to dive deep into the detail of what is one of the biggest geopolitical challenges of our time.

Their discussion examines North Korea’s weapons capability, the mind-set of its leader, the chance of war breaking out and the possibilities of finding a diplomatic solution.

(North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, flanked by vice-chair of the State Affairs Commission Choe Yong-Hae (L) at an opening ceremony. Photo credit: Ed Jones/Getty Images)

Transcript

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0:00.0

Coming soon, the assassination, an investigation into a true story that shook the world.

0:07.0

A new podcast from the BBC World Service.

0:10.0

Subscribe to the assassination now, and you'll get every episode automatically.

0:15.0

Hi, this is the Inquiry Podcast and a rather special one.

0:20.0

Normally we interview four expert witnesses one at a time, but you're about to hear six expert

0:27.3

witnesses in conversation with one another, a kind of inquiry unplugged. It's longer than usual too, and that's because

0:36.4

tensions are rising between North Korea and the United States, and some say we're at the

0:41.4

brink of nuclear war. we thought that demanded more time and

0:45.9

attention. Welcome to the inquiry the North Korea deep dive on the BBC World

0:51.9

Service. I'm Ruth Alexander and we've invited six

0:56.1

expert witnesses to answer one of the most pressing questions of the year. Shortly. Shortly after the year.

1:07.0

Shortly after midday, on Sunday the 3rd of September

1:15.0

seismologists around the world reached for their phones.

1:19.0

The first readings were coming through of an Earth tremor in North Korea.

1:26.2

More precisely, in Hamyong province where the regime conducts nuclear tests. The US Geological Survey reported it was a 6.3

1:36.2

magnitude quake. The Japanese Foreign Minister said there was no doubt North Korea

1:42.2

had carried out a nuclear test, but no one knew for sure,

1:48.4

until this. A North Korean state TV broadcast confirmed the test. The news was met with international condemnation.

1:57.0

A North Korean state TV broadcast confirmed the test.

2:01.0

The news was met with international condemnation and two weeks later in New York in

2:08.2

his first speech to the United Nations General Assembly, the President of the United States threatened the North Korean leader.

2:16.0

We will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea.

...

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