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By Alex Jensen
SEOUL (AA) – North Korea claimed to have detonated a new hydrogen bomb Sunday, confirming suspicions of the reclusive state’s sixth ever nuclear test after outside monitors noted a large artificial earthquake.
Seoul’s Korea Meteorological Administration observed a 5.7 magnitude tremor around the North’s Punggye-ri test site at 12.29 pm local time (3.29 am GMT), while the United States Geological Survey recorded it as a 6.3 magnitude event – either way, significantly stronger than the 5.04 magnitude quake triggered by the reclusive state’s fifth nuclear test a year ago.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff had announced earlier on Sunday that North Korea was “presumed” to have carried out its sixth nuclear test.
Pyongyang’s official KCNA news agency later announced that its “perfect” test involved a hydrogen bomb that could be mounted upon a North Korean ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile).
“The H-bomb test was carried out to examine and confirm the accuracy and credibility of the power control technology, and internal structural design newly introduced into manufacturing the H-bomb to be placed as the payload of the ICBM,” the KCNA report explained.
The same news outlet published images earlier Sunday showing leader Kim Jong-un inspecting a new H-bomb warhead.
The North has been openly developing its weapons technology amid regular threats to strike the U.S. mainland, despite being barred from conducting nuclear and ballistic missile tests.
Pyongyang is likely to incur international punishment, although the United Nations Security Council only recently strengthened sanctions following two North Korean ICBM launches in July.
Seoul and Washington’s security chiefs, Chung Eui-yong and H.R. McMaster, held 20-minute phone talks soon after the test, according to local news agency Yonhap.
“President Moon Jae-in said the country will never allow North Korea to continue advancing its nuclear and missile technologies,” Chung said at an afternoon press briefing after an emergency meeting of South Korea’s National Security Council, which apparently agreed to push for stronger punitive measures against Pyongyang and to consider deploying powerful American strategic weapons on the Korean Peninsula.
There are already around 30,000 U.S. military personnel stationed in the South, but more potent hardware – such as B-1B bombers – currently has to be flown in from American bases on Guam.
