They specialize in and are the gold standard for military weapons systems of all types and AFAIK their reputation is impeccable.

Yes... Jane's is a very reliable source on military (and related) topics. That doesn't mean that the people they're interviewing aren't using a bit of hyperbole.

I'm not exactly comfortable with N.Korea operating that aged technology... but I don't think it's plausible to get a "worse than Chernobyl" result. Chernobyl was about as close to worst-case as you can get. No shutdown... no containment... and a burning core sending massive amounts of material into the air.

The Korean reactor could have a comparable set of events... but at 5MW... there wouldn't be enough fuel involved to match Chernobyl.

The real concern is that this is a souce of weapons plutonium for a regime that's more likely to use a nuke than we would like.

And then there's intentional sabotage.....

The point of the OP is that this type of reactor is particularly dangerous if it does experience a meltdown because it uses internal components that can burn easily - and - it has no effective way to contain the release of radioactive emissions that would be part of the smoke produced in the fire.

We can always send in a few drone strikes and spread some of that yummy depleted uranium around, and that'll teach 'em we mean fuckin' business! Or, or, I know! We'll covertly "speed up" the process of the reactor going and then we can all scream a big "we told you so!!" since it'll just be some North Koreans and nobody who actually matters.

Don't know about you, but as for me I can definitely envision either one of these playing out. ANYTHING but bridging the gap and trying to help them make their nuclear programs safer, since we all know those long-suffering and oppressed people would rather be breathing in coal ash while they're noshing down on the day's catch of rats.

This type of SHIT deserves no more traction here in Good Reads than it EVER deserved in Environment/Energy. Give. It. A. REST.

You are, however, engaging in a typical rite as practiced by the devoted acolytes of the Temple of Uranus.

But I promise you that if I end up correct on either count, you'll be hearing from me.

Really?

It struck me as typical of the same divorced-from-reality, hit-and-run mindless snark that you engaged in when you were part of the nuclear lovers gang on EE.



ETA previous versions of your post:
You wrote:

I didn't just take the chickenshit way out and delete the original post for a reason.

Have a great evening.