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| North Korea nuclear test: Japan and South Korea confirm quake caused by explosion – live | North Korea nuclear test: Japan and South Korea confirm quake caused by explosion – live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 5.27am BST | |
| 05:27 | |
| What we know so far | |
| There has been no official confirmation from North Korea about whether it conducted its fifth nuclear test today or not. But a lot of evidence points in that direction at the moment. Here’s what we know: | |
| 5.16am BST | |
| 05:16 | |
| 'Test was biggest yet': South Korea | |
| South Korean experts believe the blast was the biggest yet carried out by its neighbours. | |
| A defence ministry spokesman in Seoul told reporters the blast measured 10 kilotonnes, AFP reports. The North’s third nuclear test, staged in February 2013, was previously considered the most powerful to date, with a yield of six to nine kilotonnes. | |
| This backs up what US expert Jeffrey Lewis said earlier today. you can find more detail on his comments here. | |
| Kim Nam-Wook from the South’s meteorological agency said: | |
| The 10-kilotonne blast was nearly twice the fourth nuclear test and slightly less than the Hiroshima bombing, which was measured about 15 kilotonnes. | |
| Further evidence of a nuclear test came from South Korean experts, who said today’s 5.3-magnitude “artificial earthquake” had “almost identical patterns” to previous detonations. | |
| 5.01am BST | |
| 05:01 | |
| The South Korean president has spoken to US president Barack Obama about the North Korea nuclear test, according to the local Yonhap news agency. | |
| Obama and Park discussed the situation while Obama was flying back to the United States from the Asean summit in Laos. | |
| (URGENT) Park holds telephone talks with Obama on N.K. nuke test https://t.co/XX3HjQKc7q | |
| 4.57am BST | |
| 04:57 | |
| Asia Pacific markets slip | |
| Stock markets in the Asian time zone suffered in the wake of what Japan and South Korea have now confirmed wasa fifth nuclear test. | |
| The losses come the day after Asian shares completed a full recovery from heavy losses 12 months ago in the wake of China’s surprise devaluation. | |
| 4.49am BST | 4.49am BST |
| 04:49 | 04:49 |
| Justin McCurry | Justin McCurry |
| South Korea has joined Japan in determining that North Korea has conducted its fifth nuclear test, according to Yonhap. | South Korea has joined Japan in determining that North Korea has conducted its fifth nuclear test, according to Yonhap. |
| South Korea’s KBS Radio quoted a defence ministry official in Seoul as confirming that Friday morning’s earthquake was caused by a nuclear detonation. | South Korea’s KBS Radio quoted a defence ministry official in Seoul as confirming that Friday morning’s earthquake was caused by a nuclear detonation. |
| (LEAD) S. Korea: N. Korea's nuke test blatant dismissal of int'l consensus https://t.co/hj0MWKEN90 | (LEAD) S. Korea: N. Korea's nuke test blatant dismissal of int'l consensus https://t.co/hj0MWKEN90 |
| (2nd LD) Park condemns apparent N.K. nuke test https://t.co/UHueluyeuR | (2nd LD) Park condemns apparent N.K. nuke test https://t.co/UHueluyeuR |
| The official told reporters that the test’s explosive yield was estimated at ten kilotonnes, which would make it the most powerful of North Korea’s five nuclear tests, KBS added. The regime’s previous nuclear test in January yielded six kilotonnes. | The official told reporters that the test’s explosive yield was estimated at ten kilotonnes, which would make it the most powerful of North Korea’s five nuclear tests, KBS added. The regime’s previous nuclear test in January yielded six kilotonnes. |
| 4.31am BST | 4.31am BST |
| 04:31 | 04:31 |
| South Korean president: North guilty of 'maniacal recklessness' | South Korean president: North guilty of 'maniacal recklessness' |
| South Korean president Park Geun-hye also appears to have confirmed that Seoul believes the North has carried out a nuclear test. | South Korean president Park Geun-hye also appears to have confirmed that Seoul believes the North has carried out a nuclear test. |
| Quoting her office, Reuters says Park said that the North’s fifth nuclear test showed the country’s leader Kim Jong-un was guilty of “maniacal recklessness” in completely ignoring the world’s call to abandon his pursuit of nuclear weapons. | Quoting her office, Reuters says Park said that the North’s fifth nuclear test showed the country’s leader Kim Jong-un was guilty of “maniacal recklessness” in completely ignoring the world’s call to abandon his pursuit of nuclear weapons. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.33am BST | at 4.33am BST |
| 4.20am BST | 4.20am BST |
| 04:20 | 04:20 |
| Japan confirms explosion was nuclear test and lodges protest | Japan confirms explosion was nuclear test and lodges protest |
| Justin McCurry | Justin McCurry |
| Japan’s government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, has told reporters that the government had determined that Friday’s earthquake was caused by a North Korean nuclear test. Suga did not explain how Japanese officials had arrived at that conclusion. | Japan’s government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, has told reporters that the government had determined that Friday’s earthquake was caused by a North Korean nuclear test. Suga did not explain how Japanese officials had arrived at that conclusion. |
| The Japanese have also lodged a protest with the North Koreans, the Kyodo news agency said. | The Japanese have also lodged a protest with the North Koreans, the Kyodo news agency said. |
| Still no word from North Korea though. North Korean state TV did not, as some had speculated, confirm the test had taken place during its noon news broadcast, according to Martyn Williams who runs the North Korea Tech blog. Williams said the next broadcast was not due until 5pm local time. Confirmation could come from other sources, however, including the country’s state news agency KCNA. | Still no word from North Korea though. North Korean state TV did not, as some had speculated, confirm the test had taken place during its noon news broadcast, according to Martyn Williams who runs the North Korea Tech blog. Williams said the next broadcast was not due until 5pm local time. Confirmation could come from other sources, however, including the country’s state news agency KCNA. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.41am BST | at 4.41am BST |
| 4.15am BST | 4.15am BST |
| 04:15 | 04:15 |
| North Korea’s nuclear programme, which has brought sanctions from the UN, began in the 1980s and the first nuclear bomb test was in 2006. | North Korea’s nuclear programme, which has brought sanctions from the UN, began in the 1980s and the first nuclear bomb test was in 2006. |
| A useful timeline setting out the development of the programme and other missile tests can be found here: | A useful timeline setting out the development of the programme and other missile tests can be found here: |
| 4.09am BST | 4.09am BST |
| 04:09 | 04:09 |
| What kind of bomb? | What kind of bomb? |
| If this does turn out to be a nuclear test – and we’re still waiting some kind of confirmation from North Korea or the international community – much of the focus will be on what type of bomb was tested. | If this does turn out to be a nuclear test – and we’re still waiting some kind of confirmation from North Korea or the international community – much of the focus will be on what type of bomb was tested. |
| This would be the country’s fifth nuclear test. The last one was in January this year and there was considerable debate about what type of bomb was involved. A very good explainer about this was written here by our own Michael Safi. | This would be the country’s fifth nuclear test. The last one was in January this year and there was considerable debate about what type of bomb was involved. A very good explainer about this was written here by our own Michael Safi. |
| North Korea claimed then it was a hydrogen or thermonuclear bomb and that the test put NK in “the front rank of nuclear powers”. Western experts were sceptical, however, because tests put the yield from the blast at around 6-10 kilotonnes – less than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. | North Korea claimed then it was a hydrogen or thermonuclear bomb and that the test put NK in “the front rank of nuclear powers”. Western experts were sceptical, however, because tests put the yield from the blast at around 6-10 kilotonnes – less than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. |
| The yield from a thermonuclear device would be up to one thousand times greater than that as this table illustrates. | The yield from a thermonuclear device would be up to one thousand times greater than that as this table illustrates. |
| But this explosion is bigger than the one in January, according to experts. This tweet from Andy Frassetto from the American seismology institute Iris, indicates that is the case. | But this explosion is bigger than the one in January, according to experts. This tweet from Andy Frassetto from the American seismology institute Iris, indicates that is the case. |
| Seismogram of today's M5.3 explosion in North Korea compared to their nuclear test from 8 months ago. pic.twitter.com/SgtngDQ3Za | Seismogram of today's M5.3 explosion in North Korea compared to their nuclear test from 8 months ago. pic.twitter.com/SgtngDQ3Za |
| 3.51am BST | 3.51am BST |
| 03:51 | 03:51 |
| North Korea's 68th anniversary | North Korea's 68th anniversary |
| North Korea media has been quiet so far but today is the 68th anniversary of the country’s founding by Kim Il-sung, grandfather of the current leader Kim Jong-un. | North Korea media has been quiet so far but today is the 68th anniversary of the country’s founding by Kim Il-sung, grandfather of the current leader Kim Jong-un. |
| Our man in Tokyo, Justin McCurry, says that Japan’s Kyodo news agency reports from Beijing that North Korean state TV has not reported on the suspected nuclear test. | Our man in Tokyo, Justin McCurry, says that Japan’s Kyodo news agency reports from Beijing that North Korean state TV has not reported on the suspected nuclear test. |
| Instead, it was showing archive footage of Kim the elder, and his son Kim Jong-il to mark the anniversary. | Instead, it was showing archive footage of Kim the elder, and his son Kim Jong-il to mark the anniversary. |
| 3.44am BST | 3.44am BST |
| 03:44 | 03:44 |
| Tom Phillips | Tom Phillips |
| Chinese state media have published a photograph of children at a primary school in Yanbian, a city near the North Korean border, who were evacuated from class following the suspected test. | Chinese state media have published a photograph of children at a primary school in Yanbian, a city near the North Korean border, who were evacuated from class following the suspected test. |
| The students were taken out of the building to avoid “potential danger,” reports say. | The students were taken out of the building to avoid “potential danger,” reports say. |
| Also, CCTV, China’s state broadcaster, is reporting that the country’s department of environmental protection has launched a level-two emergency response to the suspected test. Nuclear radiation monitoring is being carried out along China’s northeastern border with North Korea. | Also, CCTV, China’s state broadcaster, is reporting that the country’s department of environmental protection has launched a level-two emergency response to the suspected test. Nuclear radiation monitoring is being carried out along China’s northeastern border with North Korea. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.52am BST | at 3.52am BST |
| 3.30am BST | 3.30am BST |
| 03:30 | 03:30 |
| US 'monitoring situation' | US 'monitoring situation' |
| The US National Security Council says it is monitoring the situation in Korea. | The US National Security Council says it is monitoring the situation in Korea. |
| A spokesman, Ned Price, said: | A spokesman, 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. | 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. |
| 3.25am BST | 3.25am BST |
| 03:25 | 03:25 |
| World powers react | World powers react |
| There has been a lot of reaction to the possible nuclear test, which happened at 9.30am local time on Friday (1.30am BST). | There has been a lot of reaction to the possible nuclear test, which happened at 9.30am local time on Friday (1.30am BST). |
| Shinzo Abe, the Japanese prime minister, said the test “could not be tolerated” and that Japan would protest strongly to Pyongyang if confirmed, Reuters reported. | Shinzo Abe, the Japanese prime minister, said the test “could not be tolerated” and that Japan would protest strongly to Pyongyang if confirmed, Reuters reported. |
| Japan's PM Shinzo Abe: Need to cooperate with U.S., other nations over N. Korea. Must lodge strong protest if N. Korea did nuclear test. | Japan's PM Shinzo Abe: Need to cooperate with U.S., other nations over N. Korea. Must lodge strong protest if N. Korea did nuclear test. |
| Japan’s chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga told an emergency press conference on Friday morning that the government was acting swiftly to gather information. | Japan’s chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga told an emergency press conference on Friday morning that the government was acting swiftly to gather information. |
| We think that there is a possibility that this quake occurred because North Korea carried out a nuclear test. | We think that there is a possibility that this quake occurred because North Korea carried out a nuclear test. |
| Meanwhile, South Korea also believes the test – if proved – would be the North’s biggest ever, tallying with the view of US expert Jeffrey Lewis in the last post. | Meanwhile, South Korea also believes the test – if proved – would be the North’s biggest ever, tallying with the view of US expert Jeffrey Lewis in the last post. |
| #BREAKING North Korea nuclear test its 'most powerful to date': Yonhap quoting South Korean military | #BREAKING North Korea nuclear test its 'most powerful to date': Yonhap quoting South Korean military |
| 3.12am BST | 3.12am BST |
| 03:12 | 03:12 |
| 'North Korea's 'biggest test so far', says analyst | 'North Korea's 'biggest test so far', says analyst |
| The 5.3 seismic event would indicate that North Korea has detonated its biggest nuclear device so far – if indeed it turns out to be a nuclear test, according to an analyst quoted by Reuters. | The 5.3 seismic event would indicate that North Korea has detonated its biggest nuclear device so far – if indeed it turns out to be a nuclear test, according to an analyst quoted by Reuters. |
| Jeffrey Lewis of the California-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies said the magnitude pointed to a 20- to 30-kilotonne yield. Lewis, using the North’s official title of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, said: | Jeffrey Lewis of the California-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies said the magnitude pointed to a 20- to 30-kilotonne yield. Lewis, using the North’s official title of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, said: |
| That’s the largest DPRK test to date, 20-30kt, at least. Not a happy day. Yield estimates are always kind of approximate. The point is that it is the biggest one to date unless they revise the yield downward. | That’s the largest DPRK test to date, 20-30kt, at least. Not a happy day. Yield estimates are always kind of approximate. The point is that it is the biggest one to date unless they revise the yield downward. |
| For comparison, the initial analysis of North Korea’s January 2016 test estimated a yield of just 6 kilotonnes. | For comparison, the initial analysis of North Korea’s January 2016 test estimated a yield of just 6 kilotonnes. |
| #NorthKorea blast measured at least 20 to 30 kilotons: Analyst https://t.co/Vd5e6gEIGn pic.twitter.com/5qN6q4iUo4 | #NorthKorea blast measured at least 20 to 30 kilotons: Analyst https://t.co/Vd5e6gEIGn pic.twitter.com/5qN6q4iUo4 |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 3.16am BST | at 3.16am BST |
| 3.05am BST | 3.05am BST |
| 03:05 | 03:05 |
| North Korea watchers have reported that activity around the country’s nuclear test site at Sungjibaegam had been building in recent months. | North Korea watchers have reported that activity around the country’s nuclear test site at Sungjibaegam had been building in recent months. |
| Two months ago, the US-based 38 North, a North Korea monitoring project, said satellite images showed a high level of activity at the site, called Punggye-ri. | Two months ago, the US-based 38 North, a North Korea monitoring project, said satellite images showed a high level of activity at the site, called Punggye-ri. |
| Three days ago it was reported that the North Korea leader, Kim Jung-un, had called on the country’s military to continue developing nuclear weapons. The controversial program – and the testing of ballistic missiles – has continued despite condemnation by neighbouring countries and the United Nations. | Three days ago it was reported that the North Korea leader, Kim Jung-un, had called on the country’s military to continue developing nuclear weapons. The controversial program – and the testing of ballistic missiles – has continued despite condemnation by neighbouring countries and the United Nations. |
| 2.53am BST | 2.53am BST |
| 02:53 | 02:53 |
| South Korea says tremor was 'suspected nuclear test' | South Korea says tremor was 'suspected nuclear test' |
| The South Korean government says it believes the “earthquake” detected in North Korea this morning was caused by a nuclear test. | The South Korean government says it believes the “earthquake” detected in North Korea this morning was caused by a nuclear test. |
| The Yonhap news agency quoted a government source as saying there was a “high possibility” that the 5.3 seismic event was triggered by a nuclear explosion. The | The Yonhap news agency quoted a government source as saying there was a “high possibility” that the 5.3 seismic event was triggered by a nuclear explosion. The |
| N.K. seen as having conducted nuclear test: gov't source https://t.co/trTWxbvQpn | N.K. seen as having conducted nuclear test: gov't source https://t.co/trTWxbvQpn |
| The government in Seoul was convening an emergency national security council meeting at the presidential Blue House for 3am BST, Reuters reported. | The government in Seoul was convening an emergency national security council meeting at the presidential Blue House for 3am BST, Reuters reported. |
| 2.44am BST | 2.44am BST |
| 02:44 | 02:44 |
| North Korea has carried out a suspected nuclear bomb test after a seismic “explosion” was recorded by the US Geological Survey near the country’s military test site. | North Korea has carried out a suspected nuclear bomb test after a seismic “explosion” was recorded by the US Geological Survey near the country’s military test site. |
| There was no confirmation of the test but it was carried out at ground level, the US Geological Survey said, and was described as an explosion. Natrurally occurring seismic events usually take place below the Earth’s surface. | There was no confirmation of the test but it was carried out at ground level, the US Geological Survey said, and was described as an explosion. Natrurally occurring seismic events usually take place below the Earth’s surface. |
| The China Earthquake Networks Center also said the tremor was a suspected explosion. | The China Earthquake Networks Center also said the tremor was a suspected explosion. |
| We’ll bring you all the reaction to what appears to be the country’s fifth nuclear test. | We’ll bring you all the reaction to what appears to be the country’s fifth nuclear test. |
| We also have a news story wrapping the main developments so far. | We also have a news story wrapping the main developments so far. |