- Adults in Russia are split on whether a neighbouring nation's nuclear arsenal is a menace, according to a poll by the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center. 41 per cent of respondents believe the presence of nuclear weapons in North Korea is a threat to Russia's national interests, while 44 per cent disagree.

Kim Jong-il has been the de-facto leader of North Korea since the death of his father, Kim Il Song, in 1994. North Korea was branded as part of an "axis of evil" by U.S. president George W. Bush in January 2002. In February 2005, the government of North Korea admitted publicly for the first time that it possesses nuclear weapons.

In July, North Korea launched seven missiles—including the Taepodong-2—which landed in the Sea of Japan close to Russian coastal areas. On Oct. 9, the country announced it had successfully carried out a test detonation of a nuclear weapon.

Yesterday, U.S. national security adviser Stephen Hadley discussed the possibility of North Korea attempting to disrupt the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference, saying, "It's possible that they would take some action. I think it would be very ill-advised. I think that by both their missile tests and their nuclear weapons test, it's pretty clear that they have alienated the international community,"

Polling Data

In your view, is the presence of nuclear weapons in North Korea a threat to Russia's national interests?

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