The UN Security Council denounced North Korea’s decision to carry out the test and said it would work immediately on a resolution.
Advertisement
In March, the Security Council adopted its toughest sanctions against North Korea in two decades in response to its nuclear test in January and a rocket launch.
The secretary-general was asked whether growing global opposition to the North’s testing, which is improving its ability to deliver nuclear weapons, might generate enough support now in the 193-member General Assembly where there are no vetoes to do something on the Korean issue.
North Korea conducted its fifth nuclear test on Friday that culminated with Pyongyang’s 68th anniversary.
Bolstered by almost 30,000 USA troops and military hardware, South Korea has an array of defensive options including its own missiles.
The United States said it would work with partners to impose new sanctions, and called on China to use its influence – as North Korea’s main ally – to pressure Pyongyang to end its nuclear programme.
Although the U.S. has said it is open to diplomatic talks on the denuclearisation of North Korea, the last negotiations in 2008 collapsed.
The proximity of the test site from the border of China gave rise to concerns about the nuclear fallout from the explosion.
With Pyongyang repeatedly insisting it will continue to develop nuclear weapons while also issuing specific threats against South Korea and the United States, Seoul is raising its defense posture.
“China urges North Korea not to take any more actions that could exacerbate tensions, and return as soon as possible to the correct direction of denuclearisation”, Zhang said.
“North Korea is seeking to flawless its nuclear weapons and their delivery vehicles so they can hold the region and the world hostage under threat of nuclear strike”, Power said.
Kimball from the Arms Control Association said North Korea has not yet demonstrated the ability to launch a medium- or long-range missile that can re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and is still years away from having an intercontinental ballistic missile that can deliver a nuclear warhead that can hit the continental U.S. “China blames South Korea and the United States just as much as it does North Korea for the current state of tensions”, the source said. The North claimed Friday to have created a warhead that can fit onto a ballistic missile and withstand atmospheric re-entry.
North Korea is banned by the United Nations from any tests of nuclear or missile technology and has been hit by five sets of United Nations sanctions since its first test in 2006.
Whatever the state of the program, one thing is clear: The fifth test was the most powerful to date.
The Pentagon did not have evidence that North Korea had been able to miniaturises a nuclear weapon, Pentagon spokesman Gary Ross said.
Estimates vary, but North Korea may have about 40 kilograms (88 pounds) of weapons-grade plutonium, according to a 2014 South Korean report, which is enough for about seven atomic bombs.
Advertisement
North Koreans gathered around public screens to watch the official announcement of the test.
