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North Korea conducts largest nuke test
North Korea on Friday conducted a fifth nuclear test hours after President Barack Obama wrapped up a tour of Asia, highlighting the US’s struggle to rein in the rising threat from dictator Kim Jong Un.
Seoul: North Korea on Friday conducted a fifth nuclear test hours after President Barack Obama wrapped up a tour of Asia, highlighting the US’s struggle to rein in the rising threat from dictator Kim Jong Un.
Pyongyang declared a successful test hours after the US Geological Survey detected a magnitude 5.3 earthquake near North Korea’s nuclear test site in the country’s northeast early on Friday, a reading that surpassed the magnitudes of tremors set off by the country’s previous nuclear tests.
North Korea confirmed in a statement released through its state media that it conducted a test explosion of a nuclear warhead.
It said the test was successful and confirmed its ability to produce nuclear-tipped missiles “at will.” It added that it would continue to build up its nuclear force in quality and quantity.
World leaders have reacted with anger after North Korea carried out its fifth and reportedly biggest nuclear test.The South accused the North's leader Kim Jong-un of "maniacal recklessness".
China "firmly opposed" the test, Japan "protested adamantly" and the US warned of "serious consequences" including "new sanctions". The UN Security Council will meet later behind closed doors to discuss the issue.
Such nuclear tests are banned by the UN but this is Pyongyang's second in 2016. China told Pyongyang to “honour its commitment to denuclearization, comply with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and stop taking any action to worsen the situation,” according to the Foreign Ministry.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called North Korea’s nuclear test a “grave threat” to Japan and held a phone meeting with Obama to discuss how to respond.
“The international community needs to deal with North Korea firmly and make Pyongyang understand the costs of taking such provocative action,” Abe told Obama in the 10-minute conversation, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
Obama, who was flying back to the US from Laos, reiterated Washington’s security commitment to Japan, including its extended nuclear deterrence, or willingness to use nuclear weapons to protect its allies, the foreign ministry said.
