TOKYO – A reported earthquake in North Korea Wednesday raised suspicion that the secretive nation has conducted its first nuclear weapons test in more than two years, in defiance of continuing UN sanctions.
Shortly after the seismic tremor, North Korea said it had conducted a successful hydrogen bomb test, the Associated Press tweeted. A hydrogen bomb is generally considered to be more powerful than a typical nuclear explosive.
The U.S. Geological Service reported that a magnitude-5.1 earthquake occurred 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 the South Korea's geological agency said it was near the surface. The earthquake was detected just after 10 a.m. Tokyo time (8 pm ET).
A hydrogen bomb, also called a thermonuclear bomb, uses fusion in a chain reaction to create a more powerful detonation than a typical atomic bomb, which uses fission. A hydrogen bomb uses an atomic bomb inside its core to set off fusion reactions that have a devastating effect.
South Korea's presidential office convened an emergency security meeting Wednesday morning; Kyodo News reported that Japanese government officials planned to hold an emergency meeting later in the day.
A television anchor in North Korea had tested a miniaturized hydrogen bomb and had elevated 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.
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 the National 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."
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.
"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 the National 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."
North Korea said it planned an "important announcement" later Wednesday, AP reported.
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.”
Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said Japan would seek a new UN resolution condemning the test and that he planned to meet with U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy to discuss North Korea’s actions.
Yonhap News Service said South Korea has stepped up surveillance activities in response to the test.
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.
SOURCE : US TODAY NEWS
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