N.Korea Can Build Nuclear Warhead, USFK Chief Claims

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3. The theory is well understood and public at this point.

The hard parts are

a.) the intrinsic difficulties in working with such materials and obtaining the necessary raw materials.
b.) working out a device architecture with the necessary precisision, for which you can resort to theft (popular) or engage in a lot of testing.

N. Korea's nukes are primarily intended to serve as deterrents to anybody wanting to change their kleptocratic government, thus it doesn't have to be real, it just has to be credible.

N. Korea in fact lacks the means to pursue aggressive warfare with any chance of success outside the peninsula.

We already know they can make a nuke. This is about making a nuke compact enough to put on a rocket (a SCUD one presumes or something similar). That would enhance their deterrent. But the fact is that their artillery coverage of Seoul is probably sufficient deterrent already.