Pyongyang confirmed earlier in the day that it had tested a nuclear warhead at its northeastern nuclear test site. The announcement drew immediate condemnation from the United States, South Korea, China and Japan. Threats from North Korea are touching a new high according to the frequencies of bomb launching and nuclear weapons testing in North Korea.
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Its first nuclear test was in 2006.
The first indications of an underground explosion came when seismic monitors detected a 5.3-magnitude “artificial earthquake” near the Punggye-ri nuclear site.
A shallow 5.3-magnitude natural disaster was recorded in North Korea Friday morning, that could have been the result of an explosion, according to the US Geological Survey.
The blast, on the 68th anniversary of North Korea’s founding, put the region on edge.
Earlier, the U.S. Geological Survey reported a 5.3 magnitude quake in North Korea, but later termed it an explosion.
And while she praised Obama’s “call to both strengthen the sanctions passed earlier this year with the United Nations and to impose additional sanctions”, she also hinted at some distance between them, urging the U.S. to “make sure” China will “meaningfully increase pressure on North Korea”.
“I restated to President Park and Prime Minister Abe the unshakable US commitment to take necessary steps to defend our allies in the region, including through our deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery to the ROK, and the commitment to provide extended deterrence, guaranteed by the full spectrum of USA defense capabilities”, he said.
Park called the detonation an act of “fanatic recklessness”.
The Pentagon did not have evidence that North Korea had been able to miniaturise a nuclear weapon, Pentagon spokesman Gary Ross said.
“We are monitoring and continuing to assess the situation in close coordination with our regional partners”, said Ned Price, a spokesperson for the National Security Council in Washington, in a prepared statement.
North Korea said it conducted a “higher level” nuclear test explosion on Friday that will allow it to finally build an array of stronger, smaller and lighter nuclear weapons, a move strongly condemned by the U.N. Security Council which promised new measures against Pyongyang.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said yesterday she had no information to provide when asked if China had advance warning of the test, and would not be drawn on whether China would support tougher sanctions against its neighbour.
The Friday test generated estimates it had the explosive power of 10 kilotons, twice North Korea’s previous tests and about two-thirds of the strength of the bomb the USA used on Hiroshima to end Pacific action in World War II. It was Pyongyang’s fourth nuclear test.
The construction of such a weapon may seem inconceivable; nonetheless, reports say North Korea claims it has achieved the task. And can they marry them to a missile so that they can deliver them?
The longer ranges and mobile launchers give the North greater ability to threaten the tens of thousands of USA troops stationed throughout Asia.
South Korea’s military put the force of the blast at 10 kilotonnes, which would still be the North’s most powerful nuclear blast to date.
“This latest nuclear test is highly provocative and deeply concerning, especially as it comes on the back of a series of ballistic missile launches by North Korea recently” Mr McCully says.
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Earlier this week, North Korea fired three ballistic missiles into Japan’s exclusive economic zone in the Sea of Japan in an apparent signal of its displeasure with Group of 20 summit talks being held in Hangzhou, China.
