The US Geological Survey and European agencies measured the quake, which was recorded at 0030 GMT, with a magnitude of 5.3.
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North Korea’s latest nuclear test coincided with the anniversary of its 1948 foundation as a republic. Pyongyang test-fired three missiles on Monday as world powers gathered for a G20 meeting in China.
Japan’s Defense Minister Tomomi Inada said the advances made by the Pyongyang regime with nuclear tests and mobile ballistic missile technology, posed a grave threat to Japan.
North Korea has a usable long-range nuclear weapon.
Its continued testing in defiance of sanctions presents a challenge to Obama in the final months of his presidency and could become a factor in the US presidential election in November, and a headache to be inherited by whoever wins.
“Sanctions have already been imposed on nearly everything possible, so the policy is at an impasse”, said Tadashi Kimiya, a University of Tokyo professor specialising in Korean issues.
New Zealand has condemned the latest nuclear bomb test by North Korea, and will convene the United Nations Security Council in response.
“This is the fifth nuclear test conducted by North Korea, and it directly defies the UN Security Council which has demanded that North Korea stop nuclear testing”. Japan has sent four jets to test for radiation.
Pyongyang’s state media said the test, which comes after a series of ballistic missile launches, had realised the country’s goal of being able to fit a miniaturised warhead on a rocket.
France also condemned the nuclear test, which is believed to be the biggest-ever – measuring 10 kilotonnes.
If confirmed, that would be the North’s largest device to date.
“We’ve improved our ability to produce standardized and miniaturized nuclear warheads so we can produce as many as we want”, announced DKNA, North Korean national television.
“My deep fear is that they will launch a live nuclear weapon on one of their missiles, but that would be extremely unsafe as that could trigger a war”, said Melissa Hanham, a senior research associate at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. “They aren’t a backwards state any more”, Lewis said.
It is Pyongyang’s fifth atomic test and the second in eight months. Warning the young ruler’s obsession with creating a nuclear arsenal, Park said, “Kim Jong-Un’s regime will only earn more sanctions and isolation. and such provocation will further accelerate its path to self-destruction”. The event produced tremors at a depth of 0 kilometers, 18 kilometers (11 miles) east-northeast of Sungjibaeham, North Korea.
First indications of an underground explosion came when seismic monitors detected a 5.3-magnitude “artificial earthquake” near the Punggye-ri nuclear site.
“Firm opposing” North Korea’s nuclear test, China today said it will lodge diplomatic protest with the country and asked it to honour its commitment to denuclearisation.
Inada said: “Considering that North Korea has developed missile technologies capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction, [the latest nuclear test] is a grave threat to the national security of Japan as well as the peace and security of north east Asia and the worldwide community”.
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“We will take further measures to bolster the state’s nuclear force in quality and quantity for safeguarding the dignity and the right to existence.[against] the US’s increasing threats of a nuclear war”, the state TV said.
