N. Korea stuns world with nuclear test

Another Big Problem for US.

SEOUL, May 25: North Korea conducted its second nuclear test on Monday that was far more powerful than its first one, triggering an emergency UN Security Council meeting and drawing condemnation from around the globe. The official KCNA news agency said the North had “successfully conducted one more underground nuclear test on May 25 as part of the measures to bolster its nuclear deterrent for self-defence in every way”. The country also test-fired three short-range missiles hours later, Yonhap news agency said. Russia, which called the test a threat to regional security, said the blast was about equal in power to the US atom bomb dropped on Nagasaki in World War Two. Officials in Washington and Beijing said North Korea had warned their governments of the test about an hour before detonation but Japan said it was not given advance notice. According to Russia, the blast was up to 20 times more powerful than the North’s first nuclear test about two and a half years ago, underscoring the advances in its nuclear programme. However, the Vienna-based Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organisation claimed that the magnitude of the latest test was “slightly higher than in 2006, measuring 4.52 on the Richter scale, while in 2006 it was 4.1”. The country’s first nuclear test, in October 2006, was of about one kiloton. US President Barack Obama said Pyongyang’s attempts at developing nuclear weapons were a threat to international peace and security and the international community would need to respond. “North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes pose a grave threat to the peace and security of the world, and I strongly condemn their reckless action,” he said at the White House. “The United States and the international community must take action in response,” he said. China said it was “resolutely opposed” to the test. The Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement: “The Chinese side vehemently demands North Korea abide by its denuclearisation promises, stop any actions which may worsen the situation and return to the six-party talks process. “The Chinese government calls on all sides to calmly and appropriately deal (with the situation).” Germany, France, Britain and the European Union were among those condemning Pyongyang’s act, while United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was “deeply worried”. He expressed the hope that the council would take “necessary measures corresponding to the seriousness of this situation”. The UN Security Council was to hold emergency talks on the issue. Iran said it had no missile or nuclear cooperation with North Korea. The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation called for North Korea to refrain from raising tensions. “These irresponsible actions by Pyongyang pose a serious challenge to peace, security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.” US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke to Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone and South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan on the issue, State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said. Financial markets in Asia wobbled briefly on the news. Markets in the United States and Britain were closed for a holiday. South Korea’s main stock market index fell more than six per cent at one stage on worries by some that investors would flee. But the decline was short-lived. Analysts said the test would force Washington to acknowledge that its leverage over the unpredictable state was, at best, limited. The US must hope China would put pressure on Pyongyang, despite its fear of destabilising its neighbour. However, Beijing was unlikely to back stronger sanctions, they said. North Korea already is so isolated that there is little left with which to punish a government that has been ready to take dealings with the outside world to the brink.—Reuters