This is CBS I in the World.

I'm John Batcher with my colleague Bruce Bechtel, a professor at Angelo State University

former Department of Defense analyst on the Korean Peninsula, and the author of a book

about North Korea's activities in several continents, North Korean military proliferation

in the Middle East and Africa, enabling violence and instability.

We go now to the threats that are routine in northern Asia.

This is the Korean Peninsula.

First I'll check on the nuclear test.

What is your information about the fact that we've been watching for this test for so

long?

What drives them to test?

What holds them back, Bruce?

Well, I think that all they're waiting on right now for that test.

It appears they're ready, by the way.

All the unclassified imagery that we've seen released by places such as 38 North, which

is Johns Hopkins University's Center for North Korean Studies and other unclassified

areas tell us that that site at Pongi is ready to go.

Basically what there has been for months, so basically what they're waiting on is a time

to do it when it creates the biggest bang.

I would like to point out something they could do.

They may not do this, but this would create the biggest bang in the most controversy.

Would be if they were to launch an ICBM to some empty part of the Pacific Ocean carrying

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