A nuclear test took place in the north-east of North Korea on Tuesday, just before noon local time, and has been condemned by various countries.
The United States of America believes that North Korea is one step closer to creating an intercontinental ballistic missile which would be able to carry a nuclear warhead that could reach the US.
North Korea claims the test was an act of self-defence against “the United States’ hostility” and they are willing to take stronger steps if necessary.
“If the United States continues to come out with hostility and complicates the situation, we will have no other options than taking stronger second and third responses,” announced a government spokesperson.
North Korea had previously told the United Nations that it would never surrender to any resolutions on its nuclear programme and that they would not consider the denuclearisation of the divided Korean peninsula because of a “hostile” United States policy.
This test has been condemned by South Korea, Japan and the United Statesas well as the General Secretary of the United Nations.
KCNA, the North Korean official news agency, announced that “It was confirmed that the nuclear test was executed at a high level of safety using a miniaturised and lighter nuclear device with greater explosive force than previously, and did not cause any negative impact on the surrounding ecological environment.”
On the other hand, Barack Obama, the President of the United States, claims that the test was a very provocative act that violated Security Council resolutions and represented a threat not only to the USA but also to international security. He called for “appropriate actions by the international community” against North Korea.
Russia’s foreign ministry also stressed that the Kremlin “absolutely condemned” the test.
Also standing against North Korea was Shinzo Abe, the Japanese Prime Minister, who said the test was a “serious threat” that could not be tolerated.
According to South Korea, the force of the explosion was between 6 and 7 kilotons. Experts from Seoul say it is about half the strength of the force of the bomb which was dropped by the USA on the Japanese city of Hiroshima six decades ago.
