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January 25, 2007 | Issue 4-9

SEOUL--Phoenix Foundation operative Angus MacGyver disarmed North Korea’s entire nuclear arsenal in a covert operation Wednesday. Armed with a bobby pin and a bunny slipper, the brave secret agent tiptoed undetected into four separate weapons sites to pull off the spectacular mission.

Once inside the communist nation’s weapons compounds, MacGyver held a bobby pin at one end of each warhead, while rubbing each with the fuzzy side of the bunny slipper. He had remembered Gauss’ Law, which states that the total electric flux through a closed surface is proportional to the total electric charge enclosed within that surface. In other words, the slipper’s friction created a static charge inside the warheads that was discharged when tapped with the rubber sole of the bunny footwear, rendering the weapons useless.

The tall task was not an unfamiliar one for the agent, who has been in more than 50 bomb-defusing situations before, many with only moments to spare.

“It was actually kind of nice," said MacGyver. “I didn’t even have to rush this time. I can’t tell you how many bombs I’ve defused with only a few seconds left on the timer.”

With a thorough understanding of science, the former Special Forces agent has regularly used everyday items as unconventional solutions for escaping capture, defusing bombs, and foiling bad guys. He often receives accolades from colleagues for his refusal to carry a gun on missions and his quick thinking and sense of humor in tense situations.

On a cruise ship near Alaska seven years ago, boat officials found a bomb onboard. After examining the device, MacGyver realized a neon sign could have been integral in disarming it, and asked the ship’s captain if he had such a sign. Just then, another sailor came in announcing that a second bomb was found. Right on cue, the cool-headed hero inquired of the captain, ‘You got two neon signs?’

“That’s Mac,” said Pete Thornton, MacGyver’s boss and friend. “Only he could bring that level of lightheartedness to a bomb disabling.” 

This latest courageous piece of work has MacGyver receiving commendations from Washington, where the Pentagon is abuzz by this halt to North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

“Mac, you’re doing a heck of a job,” said President Bush Wednesday evening in a phone conversation with MacGyver. “You’ve taken a great step in preventing worldwide nuc[lea]r disaster.” 

A Phoenix Foundation spokeswoman said MacGyver was unavailable for comment, but did say he plans to return home and relax on his houseboat following this most recent adventure.

And what happened to the bobby pin and bunny slipper? Beginning in March, those will be on display at the International Spy Museum in Washington.