The Security Council denounced the latest test and said it would begin work immediately on a resolution.
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But there are growing voices calling for the South to have its own nuclear weapons, despite government opposition.
That is just under the explosive yield of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945, which produced 15 kilotons. But its nuclear devices have steadily improved, producing bigger explosions with stronger seismic tremors in subsequent tests.
However, this has not stopped the isolated, impoverished state from conducting a further 21 ballistic missile launches.
Obama became the first USA president to make an official visit to Laos, paying tribute to survivors maimed by some 80 million unexploded bombs America dropped on the Southeast Asian country decades ago and pledging US help to finally clean them up. “This has definitely put on a higher level the D.P.R.K.’s technology of mounting nuclear warheads on ballistic missiles”.
The relationship between North and South Korea is unsurprisingly tense, and this latest report indicates the South is fed up. Furthermore, Pyongyang stressed that its nuclear capabilities were particularly important in order to “ensure genuine peace from the US”, which it believes is to blame for increasing the threat of a nuclear war.
The sources said the North may use a previously unused tunnel at its mountainous test site, according to Reuters.
“China is not capable of persuading North Korea to give up nuclear development, because China’s efforts are not supported by the others”, it said in an editorial on Monday.
“Such provocation will eventually hasten its path to self-destruction”. “This is absolutely unacceptable”, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told his senior military officials.
Yonhap has close ties to South Korea’s government and is publicly funded.
The U.N. Security Council is strongly condemning North Korea’s latest nuclear test. The United States, the United Kingdom and France are reportedly leading the push for new sanctions.
The DPRK was compelled to develop nuclear warheads, and nuclear blackmail from the United States is “an engine which pushed the DPRK to reach this point”, the statement noted.
“It’s clear that Kim Jong-un has absolutely no interest whatsoever in changing”, said Yun. North Korea last tested a nuclear device on January 6.
But North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un remains defiant in pursuing a nuclear programme.
In a statement hailing the “success” of its test on Friday, September 9, the North vowed to take “further measures” to increase its nuclear strike force “in quality and in quantity”. KCNA insisted Sunday that North Koreans were delighted by Friday’s detonation. The country often celebrates its major holidays with displays of military might.
“I count on the security council to remain united and take appropriate action”.
North Korea was hit with the strongest set of sanctions yet in March which included the prohibition of supplying aviation fuel, including rocket fuel, and the sale of small arms, to Pyongyang.
The US has been left scrambling to cope with the North’s surprising – and worrying – leaps forward in nuclear technology.
Three of the North’s five nuclear tests have been conducted under his rule.
But North Korea responded with derision. But such claims have been hard to verify.
A missile is launched during a drill at an undisclosed location in North Korea.
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“North Korea has a tunnel where it can conduct an additional nuclear test”.
