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North Korea suspected of new nuclear test after 'earthquake' detected Nuclear test 'explosion' suspected in North Korea after earthquake detected
(35 minutes later)
A large earthquake has been detected in North Korea amid reports that the country’s regime had been planning a nuclear bomb test. North Korea is suspected of carrying out a new nuclear explosion after a large earthquake was detected in the region of its test site in the north east of the country.
The US Geological Survey said on Friday that it had recorded a 5.3 seismic event near a nuclear test site. The US Geological Survey said on Friday it had recorded a 5.3 seismic event near the site. It called the event an “explosion”.
The USGS called the event an ‘explosion’. The news sparked immediate concern in the region, with South Korea announcing that its prime minister would preside over an emergency national security council meeting.
The news sparked immediate concern in the region with South Korea announcing it would hold a National Security Council an emergency meeting. South Korea’s news agency reported that Seoul believes North Korea had conducted its 5th nuclear test explosion.
The South Korean prime minister will preside over the meeting. Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, has called for an emergency meeting of the UN security council, pending confirmation that the earthquake was indeed a nuclear test.
Japan’s top government spokesman said there was a high possibility that North Korea had conducted a nuclear test. Abe said evidence pointed to the possibility that the quake had not occurred naturally. “If it turns out that North Korea has carried out a nuclear test, that is something we cannot tolerate,” he told reporters.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has instructed the ministries to collect and analyse information, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference. Japan’s top government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, said: “Given similar cases in the past, we think (the earthquake) may have been a nuclear test.”
The event took place at 9:30am local time and occurred at ground level. Naturally occurring earthquakes strike below ground. Its epicentre was 18 km (11 miles) east-northeast of Sungjibaegam, North Korea, the USGS said. Public broadcaster NHK reported Japan’s defence ministry was preparing to dispatch aircraft to analyse air samples to see if any radiation could be detected.
Three days ago, the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, said his military should continue nuclear weapons development after another round of test-firing of ballistic missiles. The United States National Security Council spokesperson Ned Price said: “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.”
The seismic event took place at 9.30am local time and occurred at ground level. Naturally occurring earthquakes strike below ground. Its epicentre was 18km east-north-east of Sungjibaegam, the US agency said.
The magnitude of the seismic event would indicate a device with a 20 to 30 kilotonne yield, an analyst said, the largest yield estimate yet of a North Korean nuclear device.
“That’s the largest DPRK test to date, 20-30kt, at least. Not a happy day,” Jeffrey Lewis of the California-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies told Reuters, using the North’s official title of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
“Yield estimates are always kind of approximate. The point is that it is the biggest one to date unless they revise the yield downward.”
Three days ago the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, said his military should continue nuclear weapons development after another round of test-firing of ballistic missiles.
The North Korean KCNA news agency said on Tuesday: “He stressed the need to continue making miraculous achievements in bolstering up the nuclear force one after another in this historic year.”The North Korean KCNA news agency said on Tuesday: “He stressed the need to continue making miraculous achievements in bolstering up the nuclear force one after another in this historic year.”
If confirmed, the timing of Friday’s test is significant as it would coincide with the 68th anniversary of the country’s founding by Kim Il-sung, grandfather of the current leader, Kim Jong-un. If confirmed, the timing of Friday’s test is significant as it would coincide with the 68th anniversary of the country’s founding by Kim Il-sung, the grandfather of the current leader, Kim Jong-un.
Two months ago, U.S.-based 38 North, a North Korea monitoring project, said satellite images showed a high level of activity at North Korea’s nuclear test site, called Punggye-ri.
Speculation had intensified that North Korea may conduct a fifth nuclear test after the United States blacklisted Kim on 6 July for human rights abuses.
North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January, resulting in tough new UN sanctions. It has conducted a series of missile tests this year, including a submarine-launched missile.
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