North Korea on Tuesday said it had conducted a “successful” third underground nuclear test, in a move that brought quick condemnation from the United Nations and the North’s neighbours and is set to heighten regional tensions.
The State-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said a “miniaturised” nuclear device had been detonated successfully at the test site.
The test was reported to have taken place at a test site in the North Hamgyeong province, where the Punggye-ri nuclear complex that conducted tests in 2006 and 2009 is located. The previous nuclear test in 2009 resulted in fresh resolutions aimed at the North from the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), tighter sanctions and increased tensions with South Korea and Japan.
UN, South Korea deplore test
Tuesday’s test brought quick condemnations from the United Nations and the North’s neigbours. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a statement condemned the test as “a clear and grave violation of the relevant Security Council resolutions”. “It is deplorable that Pyongyang defied the strong and unequivocal call from the international community to refrain from any further provocative measures,” he said.
South Korea described the test as a violation of U.N. resolutions and as an “unacceptable threat”, the Seoul-based Yonhap news agency reported. “North Korea won’t be able to avoid grave responsibility,” said the statement, which was issued shortly after President Lee Myung-bak convened an emergency National Security Council meeting.
South Korea has requested the UNSC to hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday evening, an official told Yonhap.
In Tokyo, Japanese officials said they would deploy military jets to survey the radiation levels following the test. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the country was considering imposing “unilateral sanctions” on the North.
News of the test first emerged early on Tuesday morning, when a magnitude 5.1 “artificial earthquake” was reported near a nuclear test site at 11.57 am local time (8.27 am IST). Tremors were also felt in parts of northeastern China near the border with North Korea.
A South Korean defence ministry official told Yonhap the nuclear device had, according to initial estimates, yielded 6-7 kilotons, suggesting Tuesday’s test had exceeded the yields reported in tests in 2006 and 2009.
A third nuclear test was expected by Chinese and Western officials sometime this week, with Saturday – the birthday of former leader Kim Jong-il – earlier seen as a likely date. The North had notified the United States and China a day earlier, according to South Korean officials quoted by Yonhap.
On Monday, Kim Jong-il’s son and successor Kim Jong-un, who took over as the new leader following his father’s death in December 2011, had signalled that the North – officially the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) – would continue with conducting long-range rocket tests despite recent warnings from the UNSC and even China, the North’s only ally.
Call for tougher approach
In recent weeks, Chinese officials in Beijing have said they had cautioned the North against going ahead with the test. While Beijing has continued to support the regime as it fears instability on its northeastern borders, Chinese analysts and State media have recently called on the country to take a tougher approach in dealing with the North.
The Communist Party-run Global Times said in an editorial last week, “if North Korea insists on a third nuclear test despite attempts to dissuade it, it must pay a heavy price”. “The assistance it will be able to receive from China should be reduced,” the newspaper said.“The Chinese government should make this clear beforehand to shatter any illusions Pyongyang may have.”
However, China, which is the North’s only ally and biggest source of financial and food aid, views the country as a crucial strategic buffer against the U.S. and its allies in the region, and has shown no signs of rethinking its close strategic ties following the previous nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.
Keywords: North Korea nuclear test, North Korea-US relations, China-North Korea relations, South Korea-North Korea conflict
This is the right of a country either to use nuclear or not but
unfortunately only one country is ruling the world without any threat
from other country.
To counter American hegemony, more nations should possess nuclear
capability. The world became unipolar after the breakup of USSR.
Congratulations to Koreans! Let Iran conduct successfully next test.
The survivability of any nation should not depend on its ability to destroy other nations.If thats the case,it will ultimately be a destruction of humanity.The west brought this upon themselves. They were spectators when Pakistan has been covertly handing over sensitive nuclear technology to North Korea.Any case this a defeat of nuclear non-proliferation efforts and will have repercussions to the dialogue with Iran and India's membership to NSG.
If a country which does not have nuclear program(Defense) calls for
nuclear disarmament and makes a hue and cry about nuclear testing and
proposes sanctions etc, i get the logic. Why others are making such a
fuss about it. What about their own nuclear program ambitions? Is one
country smarter than another in making a defense case for their
citizens. Nuke will always be a deterrent and has its value during
bargaining for trade/ trade policy(WTO, IMF, etc).
We were very happy when we joined the super power club. Its time for
others. Either disarm everyone or don't preach.
Those who want nuclear energy for power generation, International
Atomic Energy should help them buy, regulate and run those reactors.
North Korea has learnt from the experience of Iraq that if it does not possess nuclear weapons, USA will invade it precisely under the pretext of "looking for WMDs". USA has sort of become a catalyst for nuclear proliferation.
I am concerned of the destruction to the environment and earth structure because of Underground Nuclear test. If there was a simulation software (the one France has), then most tests can be conducted using simulation. An earthquake is an aberration of the structure. Its unavoidable natural disaster. Do we want to create one 'Artificial disaster'? Secondly, UN or powerful countries cannot always be policing against Nuclear weapons. A collective political initiative is the only way to dissuade countries.
It is futile to expect any country to stop conducting nuclear tests
unless there is total nuclear dis-armament! The world is on the edge of
a precipice and just waiting for a catastrophe to happen! Let all peace-
loving people in the world unite and jointly appeal to all the nuclear
powers to start nuclear disarmament immediately! may I appeal to The
Hindu to start a campaign!
The development and possession of nuclear weapons (bombs as well as delivery
systems) is bad for humanity. There is no doubt about it and this was known from
the days of Hiroshima and Nagasaki massacre credited to the United States. From
then on, stock piling of nuclear bombs have only gone up over the last 60 years in
the inventory of nuclear powers like US, Russia, France and China. India managed
to enter the nuclear club without the knowledge of the super powers with its first
nuclear explosion (peaceful nuclear experiment) at Pokhran in 70s, followed by
Pakistan. Now, the super powers are dissuading countries like Iran and North
Korea from going nuclear with economic sanctions and embargo under the UN
umbrella. There is no doubt about the hazards to humanity for generations even in
case of an accident in a Nuclear Power Plant, leave aside a Nuclear war. But, I am
unable to understand the logic in saying "we continue to stock nuclear bombs, but
would not allow others to go nuclear".
I wonder how many sanctions can a country take and as a leader I wonder
whats happening in Kim jong un's head. There are bigger pressing issues
in North Korea where a Nuclear test is the last thing you need. I hope
this doesnt get blown out of proportions.. (pun not intended)
Now this may intense the strategic differences between US and China which are acting as proxies for the regions of Korea. Irrespective of who is conducting Nuclear tests, the UNSC should consider it as negative sign, which might have serious implications on the world's economic, political and social aspects in the near future.
China is helping North Korea. Seems, an ally is going to be formed soon from Asia too, probably to thwart any actions from Western Powers.
Appreciate the fact that The Hindu brings the perspective of its own
correspondent rather than a foreign news agency. Kudos.