North Korea Nears Completion of Electromagnetic Pulse Bomb

This development is potentially more serious than a nuclear threat. First to the article:

North Korea Nears COmpletion of EMP bomb

The North is believed to be nearing completion of an electromagnetic pulse bomb that, if exploded 25 miles above ground would cause irreversible damage to electrical and electronic devices such as mobile phones, computers, radio and radar, experts say.

"We assume they are at a considerably substantial level of development," Park Chang-kyu of the Agency for Defense Development said at a briefing to the parliament Monday.

Park confirmed that South Korea has also developed an advanced electronic device that can be deployed in times of war.

...consequences could be severe if North Korea succeeds in discharging full-fledged electromagnetic waves.

North Korea is already engaging in disrupting GPS signals and other forms of electronic communications:

Major Korean newspaper editorials today called the recent jamming a "wake-up call," pointing out that consequences could be severe if North Korea succeeds in discharging full-fledged electromagnetic waves.

On top of disrupting major communication tools used by both civilians and the military, the waves would affect financial transactions and civilian airplanes dependent on radio signals.

"The problem could be further exacerbated by the fact that our military equipment increasingly relies on commercial GPS standards," wrote JoongAng Daily, one of South Korea's largest newspapers.

South Korea's minister of defense at that time had reported to the Congress, warning that the North poses "a fresh security threat" capable of disrupting guided bombs and missiles by sending signals over a distance of up to 60 miles.

The most ominous aspect of an EMP bomb is the fact that it is so cheap, easy to launch (it could be launched from a small vessel just off-shore in international waters) and depending upon the magnitude of the bomb - as exploded in the atmosphere - could render any electronic object (cars, cell-phones, television, radio, heat pumps, generators, etc) inoperable.

In other words, entire cities or regions could immediately be forced to live an 1800's existence.

It would be preferable if such technology didn't get into the hands of terrorist states, but apparently it is too late. It is thought that Iran has made significant in-roads into having EMP technology, and if so, one could expect to see this weapon unleashed, possibly against the U.S. and/or Israel.

Its a brave new world.