Less testing was a choice. So is the future
The risk of nuclear war does not rest on a single decision. It accumulates, test by test, each explosion edging the world closer to potential catastrophe. That escalation carries a cost of its own, too: Every nuclear weapon test leaves a scar on land and on water, and some who lived near test sites have carried that cost for generations, long after the testing itself ended. The International Day…
The risk of nuclear war is not determined by a single action, but by a series of tests, each one pushing the world closer to potential disaster. This accumulation of explosions leaves a lasting impact on both land and water, with some individuals living near test sites enduring the consequences for generations. The International Day against Nuclear Tests serves as a reminder of this ongoing history and the choices that governments continue to face.
Not too long ago, the ground shook frequently at the Semipalatinsk test site in Kazakhstan, one of the most affected areas. However, closure of the site 35 years ago brought a respite to this region. This decision was part of a larger shift away from nuclear testing. Prior to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) opening for signature in 1996, over 2,000 explosions had occurred. Since then, fewer than a dozen.
The rarity of these tremors is not just a result of chance, but a deliberate choice made and re-made by governments.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- Less testing was a choice, so is the future thejakartapost.com
- Less testing was a choice. So is the future koreatimes.co.kr
