Nuclear capable (NK is already) do you think either of these nations will detonate a device on their own soil in an above ground test?
IIRC, above ground testing is banned by the Nuclear Nonproliferation treaties, and is certainly frowned upon by civilized nations
from the filtered news we get here in the states, we’re led to believe these nations care nothing of international opinion or the long-term environmental effects of fallout and other radioactive by products
if NK or Iran were to detonate a device on their home soil, it would send multiple messages to the rest of the world…
1; we have the ability to produce viable nuclear weapons (and may have some in reserve)
2; we have no problems in using them
3; if provoked, we may use them
4; we don’t care about the side effects of fallout and other by-products of a nuke detonation and how it would affect our people and our neighboring countries (i might be telegraphing here)
5; we don’t care about world opinions on above ground tests
detonating a nuke in an above ground test would be an effective way to confirm that either of these two countries have entered the nuclear weapon age, these countries may even see an above ground test as a “deterrent” against being targeted by other nations…
the downsides of above ground tests are well known, the destruction of the test site, and the subsequent creation of fallout and other ionizing by-products that will be carried by prevailing winds into populated areas and potentially affect close by neighboring countries (in the case of NK), and the usage of one of their limited supply of warheads
do you think either of these two nations would ever perform an above ground test? would international opinion and the side effects of testing hold any sway over their opinions