It’s official? North Korea has claimed to have successfully tested a new nuclear warhead, putting to rest all of the speculation over what exactly caused a 5.3 magnitude seismic event that occurred earlier today in that Communist state.
The test was conducted at around 9 p.m. Eastern time in the U.S., or about 8:30 a.m. in North Korea.
As reported earlier here in The Inquisitr , the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) did not even call the tremor a “quake,” and instead had immediately characterized it as an “explosion.”
Reverberations from North Korea’s nuclear explosion were felt as far away as China, which has ordered its environmental authorities to begin scanning for any residual radiation that might seep over the border into that country. The test, which is the fifth conducted by North Korea in the last three years, was conducted in the area of that nation’s Kilju County.
North Korea claims successful test of nuclear warhead, its 5th and potentially most powerful https://t.co/6r9Lyg4otI pic.twitter.com/RMFHhvPnRp
— CNN (@CNN) September 9, 2016
When North Korea conducted similar nuclear tests in the past it put the blame squarely on the United States claiming that the tests were a necessary part of the nation’s defense against what it described as American aggression.
As reported By CNN , South Korean President Park Geun-hye issued a statement in which she declared the actions of North Korean dictator Kim Jun Un to be reckless and that they will bring about a toughening of sanctions against the already isolated country.
“The only thing that Kim Jong Un regime can gain from the nuclear tests is stronger sanctions from the international community and its isolation. Such provocation will eventually hasten its path to self-destruction.”
North Korea nuclear test triggers earthquake felt in China https://t.co/rgcWlISq81 pic.twitter.com/Q5tf1f7o4O
— CNET (@CNET) September 9, 2016
The nuclear blast comes just four days after North Korea tested its long range missiles with a launch across the Sea of Japan. The mid-range Rodong missiles which were launched traveled more than 600 miles, almost reaching the Japanese coast. At the time, the Japanese Defense Ministry released a statement expressing its dismay at North Korea’s actions, saying, “We are still analyzing details but this is a grave threat to our nation’s security, and we express deep concern.”
In a statement which was released to the world, North Korea boasted that its nuclear capabilities now include placing a nuclear warhead like the one tested on a long range missile, such as those tested last weekend. The country claims that a “nuclear warhead that has been standardized to be able to be mounted on strategic ballistic rockets,” has been tested.
North Korea’s Nuclear Blasts Keep Getting Stronger https://t.co/dAgsKwWAlJ
— The New York Times (@nytimes) September 9, 2016
As quoted by CBS News , The North Korean government bragged that:
“The standardization of the nuclear warhead will enable (North Korea) to produce at will and as many as it wants a variety of smaller, lighter and diversified nuclear warheads of higher strike power with a firm hold on the production of various fissile materials and technology for their use.
The country further declared that the test, “has definitely put on a higher level (the North’s) technology of mounting nuclear warheads on ballistic rockets.”
And North Korea has no intention of stopping its nuclear ambitions any time soon. The nation proudly exclaimed that it, “will continue to strengthen our nuclear capabilities to protect our sovereignty. We have now standardized and minimized nuclear warheads.” Pyongyang also stated that it, “can now produce small nuclear warheads any time we desire.”
#AP10Things : NKorea says it conducted “higher level” nuclear test; expectations low for Syrian cease-fire agreement. https://t.co/7WSZb4bVAh
— The Associated Press (@AP) September 9, 2016
In response, Ned Price, a spokesman for America’s National Security Council, stated:
“We are aware of seismic activity on the Korean Peninsula in the vicinity of a known North Korean nuclear test site. We are monitoring and continuing to assess the situation in close coordination with our regional partners.”
But Yukiya Amano, the Director General of International Atomic Energy Agency, was a little less diplomatic in his official statement. He declared that the nuclear test by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, “is in clear violation of numerous UN Security Council resolutions and in complete disregard of the repeated demands of the international community. It is a deeply troubling and regrettable act.”
Meanwhile, the White House has confirmed that President Barack Obama has already consulted the matter with the leaders of both South Korea and Japan.
So now, the world waits to see what the official reactions will be from nations such as China and Russia over the North Korean nuclear test and will they join calls for expanding the sanctions against the beleaguered dictatorship. And Americans can expect their presidential candidates to make it an issue in the coming days.
[Photo by Maya-E for AP]