Excerpt A
There was a burst of jubilation and pride in Pyongyang. A North Korean TV anchor said the test of a "miniaturized" hydrogen bomb had been a "perfect success" that elevated the country's nuclear might to the next level."

North Korea's state media called the test a self-defense measure against a potential U.S. attack. "The (country's) access to H-bomb of justice, standing against the U.S., the chieftain of aggression ..., is the legitimate right of a sovereign state for self-defense and a very just step no one can slander."


Source: North Korea Says It Tested H-Bomb to Widespread Skepticism. Klug, Foster. Lincoln Courier. Jan 6, 2016.

What is the point of view (opinion) of the North Korean state media in the excerpt above?



Excerpt B
“…an “... an early analysis by the U.S. was "not consistent with the claims that the regime has made of a successful hydrogen bomb test," White House spokesman Josh Earnest added..”
A South Korean lawmaker said the country's spy agency told him in a briefing that Pyongyang may not have conducted a hydrogen bomb test given the relatively small size of the seismic wave reported.
An estimated explosive yield of 6.0 kilotons and a quake with a magnitude of 4.8 (the U.S. reported 5.1) were detected, lawmaker Lee Cheol Woo said he was told by the National Intelligence Service. That's smaller than the estimated explosive yield of 7.9 kilotons and 4.9-magnitude quake reported after a 2013 nuclear test, he said, and only a fraction of the hundreds of kilotons that a successful H-bomb test would usually yield. Even a failed H-bomb detonation typically yields tens of kilotons, the NIS told Lee, who sits on the parliament's intelligence committee.

What is the claim of the South Korean lawmaker in Excerpt B? Does he believe the North Korean State Media?



What evidence does he give for his claim?



Is Excerpt A or Excerpt B more credible (believable)?



What evidence from the excerpts proves your answer to #4?



What do you know about the events surrounding North Korea and South Korea that helps to prove your answer to #4?





Respuesta :

  • Answer: Excerpt A

From the point of view of the North Korean state media, every nation should be able to exercise its legitimate right of sovereignty by putting in place some measures to defend itself against potential aggressors by leveling up to the military capabilities of those countries seen as potential aggressors.

  • Answer: Excerpt B

The South Korean lawmaker claims that the measured effects of the explosive tested was way below the normal range of a hydrogen bomb, and was not even up to the standard of a failed hydrogen bomb, if it was even an hydrogen bomb that was tested in the first place.

The lawmaker does not believe the North Korean media's claim of the country actually testing an hydrogen bomb.

  • His evidences against the North Korean media ranges from a way smaller seismic activity due to the explosion, to a small tonnage of explosion, that does not even match up to that of a failed hydrogen bomb test.

  • Excerpt B is much more credible as it provides logical facts backed by a comparison between measurable variable factors of the supposed hydrogen bomb test against standard hydrogen bomb results.

  • Events around North and south Korea that helped me make the decision to the answer above is the fact that North Korea has been known to scale up its capabilities in the world stage to intimidate South Korea and its United States ally.