How the U.S. could denuclearize North Korea by force

The U.S. has the tools to destroy North Korea’s nuclear programme in a single, massive surprise strike, but the lack of precise intelligence means the military option is fraught with danger

Nuclear facilities

Reactor

Research

Nuclear reprocessing

Uranium enrichment

Uranium mine

Uranium mill

Weapon testing

Rocket launch site

Warheads

North Korea has estimated stockpile of 10-25 nuclear devices and is seeking to miniaturize them to fit into ballistic missiles

Delivery vehicles

P’yongyang has more than 1,000 ballistic missiles, ranging from Scud missiles to long-range Taepodong missiles which could one day strike U.S. Stockpile includes 1,300km-range Nodong and 3,000km-range Musudan missiles

U.S. views so far untested Hwaseong-13 (KN-08) road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile as operational

Range 5,500- 6,000km

North Korea fields over 800 ageing combat aircraft, with H-5 bomber best suited to be modified to drop nuclear bomb

CHINA

Punggye-ri

North Korea

Changjin-up

Kumpungri

Chonmasan

Uiju

Sohae

Yellow Sea (West Sea)

Hagap

Taechon

Yongbyon

Sunchon

Pyongsong

Pakchon

Pyongsan

50km 30 miles

Sea of Japan (East Sea)

Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)

SOUTH KOREA Seoul

F-22: Can deliver two 450kg GBU-32 JDAM bombs

First wave of B-2s would enable fleet of around 24 F-22 fighter jets to focus on destroying some 200 transporter erector launchers (TELs)

Seoul

Naval forces: Around 600 BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from Ohio class submarines and warships from 7th Fleet
would support F-22 strikes

POSSIBLE RETALIATION

Rocket artillery: Biggest cost of North Korean artillery barrage in response to any attack would be at least partial destruction of Seoul

Ballistic missiles: P’yongyang’s existing stockpile could easily deliver around 1 kiloton (1,000 metric tons) of high explosives beyond Korean Peninsula

Nuclear strike: North Korea may have two to five nuclear warheads which could be fitted to Nodong missile. Single nuclear strike on South Korean city would cause catastrophic shock Sinpo-class submarine capable of launching
KN-11 ballistic missile

*Based on analysis by U.S. geopolitical intelligence company Stratfor

Sources: Stratfor, IISS
Picture: Associated Press