North Korea says successfully conducts nuclear test

Seoul - The UN Security Council is planning to hold an emergency meeting to discuss North Korea's reported test of a hydrogen bomb.

North Korea said it had successfully conducted a test of a miniaturised hydrogen nuclear device on Wednesday morning, marking a significant advance in the isolated state's strike capabilities and raising alarm bells in Japan and South Korea.
The test, the fourth time North Korea has exploded a nuclear device, was ordered by young leader Kim Jong Un, state media said.
"The first H-bomb test was successfully conducted at 10:00 (0130 GMT) on Wednesday," North Korea's official KCNA news agency said.
Last month, Kim appeared to claim his country had developed a hydrogen bomb, also known as a thermonuclear device, a step up from the less powerful atomic bomb, but the United States and outside experts were sceptical at the time.

Some analysts questioned whether Wednesday's test was indeed of a hydrogen device.
"North Korea has made claims about its nuclear and missile programs in the past that simply have not held up to investigation," said Melissa Hanham, a Senior Research Associate at the California-based James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies.
Yang Uk, a senior research fellow at the Korea Defence and Security Forum, added: "Given the scale it is hard to believe this is a real hydrogen bomb. They could have tested some middle stage kind (of device) between an A-bomb and H-bomb, but unless they come up with any clear evidence, it is difficult to trust their claim."
The United States Geological Survey reported a 5.1 magnitude quake that South Korea said was 49 km (30 miles) from the Punggye-ri site where the North has conducted nuclear tests in the past.
North Korea's last test, of an atomic device in 2013, also registered at 5.1 on the USGS scale.
The claim of miniaturising, which would allow the device to be adapted as a weapon and placed on a missile, would pose a new threat to the United States and its regional allies, Japan and South Korea.
UN meeting
North Korea has been under UN Security Council sanctions since it first tested an atomic device in 2006 and could face additional measures. The Security Council will meet later on Wednesday to discuss what steps it could take, diplomats said.
The White House said it could not confirm North Korea's claims, but added the United States would respond appropriately to provocations and defend its allies.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Japan would make a firm response to North Korea's challenge against nuclear non-proliferation, calling its test a threat to Japan's security.
South Korea said it would take all possible measures, including possible United Nations sanctions, to ensure Pyongyang paid the price after its fourth nuclear test.
"Our government strongly condemns North Korea ignoring repeated warnings from us and the international community and pushing ahead with the fourth nuclear test, which clearly violated the UN resolutions," Cho Tae-yong, a senior security official at the South Korean presidential office said.
The North's state news agency said it will not give up its nuclear programme as long as the United States maintained what it called "its stance of aggression".
It also said it will act as a responsible nuclear state and vowed not to use its nuclear weapons unless its sovereignty was infringed. It said it will not transfer its nuclear capabilities to other parties.
While a fourth nuclear test had been long expected, the timing of Wednesday's explosion came as a surprise.
The test is bound to ratchet up tensions between the isolated country and its neighbours as well as Washington. China, North Korea's main ally, has not commented on the test but is likely to be displeased at the increase in tensions in its neighbourhood.
"For the immediate term, expect further souring of relations with Seoul and, more importantly, Beijing," said Sue Mi-Terry, Managing Director at Bower Group Asia and former Central Intelligence Agency analyst.
 
 
 
 
 

Key dates in North Korean history and weapons development
These are the key dates in North Korean history and its development of long-range missiles and nuclear weapons:
1945: Japan's colonial rule over Korea ends with its World War II surrender.

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1948: Korea is formally divided at the 38^th parallel between the North, backed by the Soviet Union, and the South, supported by the United States.

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1950-53: The North invades the South and war breaks out. The US intervenes on behalf of the South as part of a United Nations force, and China on the side of the North. The war leaves an estimated four million dead. Afterwards the US retains a major military presence in the South.

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Late 1970s: North Korea starts working on a version of the Soviet Scud-B (range 300 km or 187 miles). Test-fired in 1984

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1987-92: North begins developing variant of Scud-C (500 km), Rodong-1 (1,300 km), Taepodong-1 (2,500 km), Musudan-1 (3,000 km) and Taepodong-2 (6,700 km)

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1989: US satellite pictures reveal a nuclear reprocessing plant at North Korea's Yongbyon complex.

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1994: The US comes close to war with North Korea over its removal of spent fuel rods from the Yongbyon reactor.

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1994, July 8: Founding president Kim Il-Sung dies aged 82. He is succeeded by his son Kim Jong-Il.

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1998, August: North Korea test-fires its first long-range ballistic missile, a Taepodong-1, over Japan as part of failed satellite launch.

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1999, September: North declares moratorium on long-range missile tests amid improving ties with US

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2000: North and South Korea hold their first-ever summit. A second is held in 2007.

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2003: North Korea withdraws from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

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2005: For the first time, North Korea states that it has nuclear weapons. Pyongyang also ends moratorium on long-range missile testing, blaming Bush administration's "hostile" policy

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2006, July 5: North test-fires seven missiles, including a long-range Taepodong-2 which explodes after 40 seconds, triggering UN condemnation and sanctions.

• October 9: North Korea carries out its first nuclear test, sparking international condemnation and more UN sanctions.
  

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2007: North Korea agrees in February to scrap its nuclear facilities in return for economic aid and diplomatic benefits. In July, North Korea says it has closed down its main nuclear site.

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2009, April 5: the North launches a long-range rocket and announces it will restart its Yongbyon complex despite UN condemnation.

• May 25: North Korea conducts its second underground nuclear test, sparking tougher UN sanctions.
  
• July 4: North test-fires seven ballistic missiles off its east coast.
  

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2011, December 19: North Korean state media say Kim Jong-Il died two days previously of a heart attack at the age of 69, and urge people to support his son and successor Kim Jong-Un.

• February 18: Satellite images show the North has completed a launch tower at its new west coast missile base at Tongchang-ri, experts say
  

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2012, April 13: Rocket is launched from Tongchang-ri and appears to have disintegrated soon after blastoff and fallen into the ocean, South Korean authorities say.

• December 12: North Korea launches long-range rocket, which the international community condemns as a disguised ballistic missile test.
  

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2013, February 12: North Korea conducts third and largest nuclear test so far, drawing added UN sanctions and sending military tensions on the Korean peninsula surging for months.

• December 13: North Korea announces the execution of Kim Jong-Un's uncle and political mentor, in a move seen by some as a sign of internal dissent.
  

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2015, May: North Korea says it successfully test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile, but experts say the exercise fell far short of a full flight test.

• December 3: Satellite images indicate North Korea is excavating a new tunnel at its main nuclear test site at Punggye-ri, US think tank says.
  
• December 11: State media cites Kim Jong-Un as saying North Korea has developed a hydrogen bomb, but Washington says it doubts Pyongyang has a thermonuclear device.
  

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2016, January 6: North Korea says it has detonated a hydrogen bomb.

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