Kim Jong Un, Supreme Leader of North Korea (Photo: Traineek/Wikimedia Commons)
North Korea Tests Nuclear Weapon, Sets off Earthquake
“The voice of Thy thunder was in the whirlwind; the lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook.” (Psalm 77:19)
North Korea is suspected of carrying out a nuclear test on Wednesday after a 5.1 magnitude seismic tremor was detected near its main atomic test site in the north of the country. The China Earthquake Network Center described the quake as a “suspected explosion”.
The Korea Meteorological Administration told AFP that upon first analysis, the quake seemed to be a result of “artificial” causes, and the Japanese government said that there was a strong possibility of the seismic activity being a nuclear test.
The quake, which was detected at 10:00 am Pyongyang time, took place in the northeast of the country, right next to North Korea’s known nuclear test site at Punggye-ri.
Last month, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-Un indicated that Pyongyang had already developed a powerful hydrogen bomb, though international experts doubted the claim. Researchers at the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University reported around the same time that satellite images showed evidence of a new tunnel being excavated at the nuclear test site.
The tunnel “adds to North Korea’s ability to conduct additional detonations over the coming years if it chooses to do so,” said the researchers at the time.
This would be the fourth nuclear test carried out by North Korea. Each previous test has resulted in international condemnation and tightened sanctions and restrictions against the country.
China, an ally of North Korea, has been pushing for a resumption of international talks aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the security concerns raised by North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. If Wednesday’s tremor is proven to be a result of nuclear activity, it would be a serious blow to Beijing’s attempt at renewing a diplomatic dialogue.
USA TODAY Jan. 6, 2015
North Korea said Wednesday it had conducted a hydrogen bomb test, a defiant and surprising move that, if confirmed, would put Pyongyang a big step closer toward improving its still-limited nuclear arsenal. (Jan. 6) AP
TOKYO — North Korea announced Wednesday that it tested its first hydrogen bomb, a major leap in its nuclear program that promptly drew international condemnation.
A statement by the secretive nation's government said "the first H-bomb test was successfully conducted" at 10 a.m. local time Wednesday.
The statement, carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency , said in a "world-startling event," North Korea has "proudly joined the advanced ranks of nuclear weapons states" and is "equipped with the most powerful nuclear deterrent."
The announcement came soon after a magnitude-5.1 earthquake was reported by the U.S. Geological Service 30.4 miles from the city of Kilju, North Korea , where the country's Punggye-ri nuclear test site is located.
That is the same area where North Korea conducted nuclear tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013.
The USGS put the depth of the earthquake at 6 miles below the surface, but South Korea's geological agency said it was near the surface. The earthquake was detected just after 10 a.m. Tokyo time (8 p.m. ET).
South Korean President Park Geun-hye called for a swift, accurate analysis of the North's claim at an emergency security meeting Wednesday.
"It's not only grave provocation of our national security, but also an act that threatens our lives and future. It's also a direct challenge to world peace and stability," she said.
She said the South will sternly deal with any additional provocation by the North, and ordered the military to maintain readiness in cooperation with U.S. troops.
The U.N. Security Council is holding an emergency meeting on the reported test starting at 11 a.m. ET Wednesday.
AFP tweeted that the council will consider new sanctions against North Korea, citing the British ambassador.
A television anchor in North Korea said in a propaganda-heavy statement that the North tested a miniaturized hydrogen bomb, elevating the country's nuclear prowess "to the next level" and providing it with a weapon against the U.S. and others. The TV anchor said the test went off perfectly.
A large crowd celebrated in front of Pyongyang's main train station as the announcement was broadcast on a big screen.
North Korean university student Ri Sol Yong, 22, said: "If we didn't have powerful nuclear weapons, we would already have been turned into the slaves of the U.S."
The Obama administration has been "re-balancing" U.S. forces to the Asia-Pacific region in part to deal with North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.
The White House said after the earthquake that it was aware of the seismic activity and of North Korea's claims of a nuclear test.
"While we cannot confirm these claims at this time, we condemn any violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and again call on North Korea to abide by its international obligations and commitments," said Ned Price, the spokesman for theNational Security Council . "We have consistently made clear that we will not accept it as a nuclear state. We will continue to protect and defend our allies in the region, including the Republic of Korea, and will respond appropriately to any and all North Korean provocations."
U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy met with Japan's Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday to discuss the test.
"We condemn any violation of the U.N. Security Council resolutions and call again on North Korea to abide by its international obligations and commitments," Kennedy said. "We stand with Japan and our other allies in solidarity against North Korean provocations, and we will work closely with them in the coming days."
Kishida said Japan would seek a new U.N. resolution condemning the test.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said in an annual New Year's speech last week that the country was ready for war if provoked by "invasive" outsiders, but did not repeat past threats to use the country's nuclear weapons or long-range missiles.
A confirmed test would mark another big step toward Pyongyang's goal of building a warhead that can be mounted on a missile capable of reaching the U.S. mainland.
The test drew immediate reaction from North Korea's neighbors.
Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the test represents a threat to Japanese security and is "totally intolerable," according to Kyodo News Service.
Abe said Japan "strongly condemns" the test and would have a "firm response."
China, North Korea's main ally, said it "firmly opposes" the test.
British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond , who is currently visiting China, condemned the action and said he and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi agreed to work with other members of the U.N. Security Council toward "a robust international response."
Lee Cheol Woo, a South Korean lawmaker, said the country's spy agency told him in a private briefing that the North may not have conducted a hydrogen bomb test because the estimated explosive yield of six kilotons and magnitude-4.8 quake theNational Intelligence Service said were detected Wednesday were a fraction of the hundreds of kilotons of explosive yield that a typical successful hydrogen bomb test would have.
He said an estimated explosive yield of 7.9 kilotons and a magnitude-4.9 quake were reported after the 2013 nuclear test.
Robert Kelly, associate professor of political science and diplomacy at Pusan National University in South Korea said he is not convinced that the test represents a hydrogen bomb and said the footprint more closely resembles that of the 2013 atomic bomb test.
"Hydrogen bombs are an order of magnitude more powerful in the amount of energy they release. They are fusion weapons ... it would be a major upgrade if they managed to pull it off," he said.
He added: "North Korea makes all sorts of claims and there is no reason, given their history of lying and dissembling, to take them at their word. I am waiting for definitive word from the South Korean and or American governments."
North Korea is believed to have three types of operational ballistic missiles, with a maximum range of 800 miles. That's enough range to hit targets in South Korea and Japan , including the massive U.S. military bases in both countries.
The North also is believed to be working on two types of long-range missiles that could hit targets in the U.S. territory of Guam, and in Alaska and Hawaii.
Pyongyang is thought to have a handful of crude nuclear weapons. The United States and its allies worry about North Korean nuclear tests because each new blast brings the country closer to perfecting its nuclear arsenal.
Contributing: Associated Press
