Rumors of bombing attempt on Kim Jong Un spread in N.Korea
S.Korean explosives expert casts doubt, saying episode a rumor or a setup to win leader's favor
However, a former demolitions instructor from the South Korean Special Forces told NK News that there is strong chance that the news is “just another North Korea rumor.”
An anonymous source told RFA that a hidden stack of explosives was found inside the Kalma Airport on October 6.
“Kim Jong Un’s visit to Kalma airport was cancelled immediately, as explosives were found a day before his visit.”
Kalma Airport, also known as Wonsan International Airport, has been the site of a major construction and renovation project over the past two years, NK News director of intelligence John Grisafi has written.
The airport was completed and revealed to the public in late September.
The source further claimed that North Korea’s State Security Department (SSD) found out about the hidden explosives, which Kim Jong Un’s Supreme Guard Command had failed to find during a previous search for threats.
“The explosives were planted inside the roof of the airport’s information desk,” the source told RFA.
“The explosive found at the desk was a box of TNT which North Koreans use to blast through mines. A box can hold about 100 explosives and each (explosive) would weigh around 200g.”
Jeong Jin-man, formerly of the South Korean Special Forces cast doubt on the rumor, at least as it was told to the RFA. For one thing, TNT is not used in the way the RFA’s article described, he said.
“First, TNT is unsuitable for blasting through mines or tunnels, unlike how the source explained,” said Jeong.
“The detonation velocity of explosives used to blast an underground tunnel is around 5,700-6,900 m/sec, and the velocity of those for blasting mines are around 4,500 m/sec, while those for open pit blasting have velocity of 3,300-5,900 m/sec.
“So the explosives used for industrial purposes have a limited detonation velocity of 3,000 to 6,900 m/sec, while TNT has a detonation velocity of 7,000 m/sec.”
Jeong explained that TNT is unnecessarily powerful for industrial use, and can emit toxic gas if detonated inside an enclosed area.
“So no one would use TNT to blast open a tunnel,” he said.
Jeong explained that, assuming that TNT was actually found by North Korean authorities, then there is a possibility that the whole incident was set up by one of the North Korean bureaus to win Kim Jong Un’s favor.
“As the RFA’s article explained, if North Korea’s SSD had found out the explosives which Kim Jong Un’s Supreme Guard Command had failed to locate, than the Supreme Guard Command might have been involved in the assassination attempt.”
“But, also, it might have been an SSD setup to win Kim Jong Un’s favor by setting up the TNT and pretending that they found it after the Supreme Guard Command had already swept the site.”
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