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North Korea tests nuclear bomb
October 09, 2006 12:00am
Article from: ReutersFont size: + -
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NORTH Korea has carried out its first-ever nuclear test, the North Korea's Central News Agency (KCNA) said today.
Stalinist North Korea announced today that it had conducted its first ever atomic bomb test, defying global opinion to send a nuclear shiver around the world.
The official KCNA news agency said the test was successfully conducted at 10.36am (11.36am AEST).
"The nuclear test was conducted by 100 per cent of our wisdom and technology," it said, claiming there was no danger of radioactive leaks.
South Korea's intelligence agency detected a 3.58 magnitude seismic tremor at the time of the test, a foreign ministry spokesman in Seoul said.
South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun immediately called an emergency meeting of security officials because of what the foreign ministry said was "a grave change in the situation involving the North's nuclear activity".
News of the test came as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe landed in Seoul seeking its support for a common line against the reclusive North.
"President Roh Moo-hyun called in an emergency meeting of related ministers to discuss the North Korean nuclear issue," South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted foreign ministry spokesman Choo Kyu-Ho as saying.
"The government has received a report that there was a tremor of 3.58 sensed from North Korea's northern Hamkyong province at 10.36am (1136 AEST)," Choo Kyu-Ho told AFP.
Another ranking foreign ministry official quoted by Yonhap earlier said the government had received intelligence that North Korea appeared to have already carried out a nuclear test.
"We are not in a position to confirm such a report," a South Korean defence ministry spokesman said.
Choo said that security-related ministers had been holding talks at the presidential office since 11:30 am (1000 AEST) to discuss whether it was related to a nuclear test.
Pyongyang had announced on October 3 through its foreign ministry that it planned a test under safe conditions, citing "the US daily increasing threat of a nuclear war and its vicious sanctions and pressure".
That announcement triggered worldwide alarm and appeals for a change of heart, including a UN Security Council statement.
The United States and South Korea warned they could not tolerate a nuclear-armed North, Japan said any test would be unforgivable and China, Pyongyang's main ally, urged it to show restraint.
The world's eighth-declared nuclear power is a secretive and volatile regime which for five decades has been technically at war with South Korea and the United States.
It is believed to have produced enough weapons-grade plutonium to make several crude nuclear bombs, according to US and South Korean experts.
The North, which pledges no first use of any nuclear weapons, also has an advanced missile program although it is not known whether it could arm one with a nuclear warhead.
On July 5, it test-fired seven missiles which fell into the sea - including a Taepodong-2 believed to be technically capable of hitting the United States.
In its October 3 statement, the North pledged never to use nuclear weapons first and strictly to ban the transfer of nuclear weapons and technology.
"The ... nuclear weapons will serve as reliable war deterrent for protecting the supreme interests of the state and the security of the Korean nation from the US threat of aggression and averting a new war," it said at the time.
North Korea had kept the world guessing for almost 20 years about its progress towards a bomb, declaring only in February 2005 that it possessed nuclear weapons.
The United States had said it would press for mandatory UN sanctions after any test, but played down the prospect of a military response - something Seoul has also ruled out.
Analysts had said a test may trigger a regional nuclear arms race, and leave international non-proliferation efforts in tatters.
"Our science research section has safely and successfully conducted an underground nuclear test on October 9," it said.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,20548732-661,00.html
North Korea conducts nuclear test
Monday Oct 9 14:00 AEST
By ninemsn staff and wires
South Korea have today put their troops on a higher alert and called an emergency ministers' meeting after North Korea announced it had conducted its first-ever nuclear test.
"[This morning's] underground test was carried out safely and successfully, and there was no radiation leak," the communist state's official news agency KCNA said.
RELATED LINKS
TIMELINE: Nuclear crisis
Land of famine and fear
"[The test] marks an historic event as it greatly encouraged and pleased the KPA (North Korean army) and people that have wished to have powerful self-reliant defence capability," the agency said.
"It will contribute to defending the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the area around it."
The test was carried out at Hwadaeri near Kilju on North Korea's northeast coast at 10.36am (11.36am AEST), a South Korean defence ministry official quoted by Yonhap news agency said.
The South's presidential office said the state intelligence agency had detected a 3.58 magnitude seismic tremor in North Hamgyong Province.
A South Korean expert told AFP there was "a massive explosion with a tremor of 3.58 to 3.7". The US Geological Survey also detected a 4.2 magnitude tremor in North Korea at 10.35am local time.
Chi Heon-chul, of the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, said the tremor originated at Kilju.
"The intelligence was immediately reported to President Roh Moo-hyun," Roh's spokesman Yoon Tae-Young said. Roh immediately called an emergency meeting of related ministers to discuss countermeasures.
The South Korean military has since raised its vigilance along its border with North Korea.
"A crisis task force was activated, with our troops ordered to raise their vigilance and watch North Korea's movements," an official with the joint chiefs of staff said.
Nuclear explosion monitors at Geoscience Australia are still in the process of analysing seismic data for evidence of a nuclear blast.
A spokesman for the agency said once it had gathered the results, it would pass them to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, but as yet no unusual acitivity had been detected.
Prime Minister John Howard has strongly condemned the test, saying seismic activity confirmed a test had taken place.
China has also condemned the test, describing it as a "brazen" act.
More to come
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=150797
North Korea tests nuclear bomb
October 09, 2006 12:00am
Article from: ReutersFont size: + -
Send this article: Print Email
NORTH Korea has carried out its first-ever nuclear test, the North Korea's Central News Agency (KCNA) said today.
Stalinist North Korea announced today that it had conducted its first ever atomic bomb test, defying global opinion to send a nuclear shiver around the world.
The official KCNA news agency said the test was successfully conducted at 10.36am (11.36am AEST).
"The nuclear test was conducted by 100 per cent of our wisdom and technology," it said, claiming there was no danger of radioactive leaks.
South Korea's intelligence agency detected a 3.58 magnitude seismic tremor at the time of the test, a foreign ministry spokesman in Seoul said.
South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun immediately called an emergency meeting of security officials because of what the foreign ministry said was "a grave change in the situation involving the North's nuclear activity".
News of the test came as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe landed in Seoul seeking its support for a common line against the reclusive North.
"President Roh Moo-hyun called in an emergency meeting of related ministers to discuss the North Korean nuclear issue," South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted foreign ministry spokesman Choo Kyu-Ho as saying.
"The government has received a report that there was a tremor of 3.58 sensed from North Korea's northern Hamkyong province at 10.36am (1136 AEST)," Choo Kyu-Ho told AFP.
Another ranking foreign ministry official quoted by Yonhap earlier said the government had received intelligence that North Korea appeared to have already carried out a nuclear test.
"We are not in a position to confirm such a report," a South Korean defence ministry spokesman said.
Choo said that security-related ministers had been holding talks at the presidential office since 11:30 am (1000 AEST) to discuss whether it was related to a nuclear test.
Pyongyang had announced on October 3 through its foreign ministry that it planned a test under safe conditions, citing "the US daily increasing threat of a nuclear war and its vicious sanctions and pressure".
That announcement triggered worldwide alarm and appeals for a change of heart, including a UN Security Council statement.
The United States and South Korea warned they could not tolerate a nuclear-armed North, Japan said any test would be unforgivable and China, Pyongyang's main ally, urged it to show restraint.
The world's eighth-declared nuclear power is a secretive and volatile regime which for five decades has been technically at war with South Korea and the United States.
It is believed to have produced enough weapons-grade plutonium to make several crude nuclear bombs, according to US and South Korean experts.
The North, which pledges no first use of any nuclear weapons, also has an advanced missile program although it is not known whether it could arm one with a nuclear warhead.
On July 5, it test-fired seven missiles which fell into the sea - including a Taepodong-2 believed to be technically capable of hitting the United States.
In its October 3 statement, the North pledged never to use nuclear weapons first and strictly to ban the transfer of nuclear weapons and technology.
"The ... nuclear weapons will serve as reliable war deterrent for protecting the supreme interests of the state and the security of the Korean nation from the US threat of aggression and averting a new war," it said at the time.
North Korea had kept the world guessing for almost 20 years about its progress towards a bomb, declaring only in February 2005 that it possessed nuclear weapons.
The United States had said it would press for mandatory UN sanctions after any test, but played down the prospect of a military response - something Seoul has also ruled out.
Analysts had said a test may trigger a regional nuclear arms race, and leave international non-proliferation efforts in tatters.
"Our science research section has safely and successfully conducted an underground nuclear test on October 9," it said.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,20548732-661,00.html
North Korea conducts nuclear test
Monday Oct 9 14:00 AEST
By ninemsn staff and wires
South Korea have today put their troops on a higher alert and called an emergency ministers' meeting after North Korea announced it had conducted its first-ever nuclear test.
"[This morning's] underground test was carried out safely and successfully, and there was no radiation leak," the communist state's official news agency KCNA said.
RELATED LINKS
TIMELINE: Nuclear crisis
Land of famine and fear
"[The test] marks an historic event as it greatly encouraged and pleased the KPA (North Korean army) and people that have wished to have powerful self-reliant defence capability," the agency said.
"It will contribute to defending the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the area around it."
The test was carried out at Hwadaeri near Kilju on North Korea's northeast coast at 10.36am (11.36am AEST), a South Korean defence ministry official quoted by Yonhap news agency said.
The South's presidential office said the state intelligence agency had detected a 3.58 magnitude seismic tremor in North Hamgyong Province.
A South Korean expert told AFP there was "a massive explosion with a tremor of 3.58 to 3.7". The US Geological Survey also detected a 4.2 magnitude tremor in North Korea at 10.35am local time.
Chi Heon-chul, of the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, said the tremor originated at Kilju.
"The intelligence was immediately reported to President Roh Moo-hyun," Roh's spokesman Yoon Tae-Young said. Roh immediately called an emergency meeting of related ministers to discuss countermeasures.
The South Korean military has since raised its vigilance along its border with North Korea.
"A crisis task force was activated, with our troops ordered to raise their vigilance and watch North Korea's movements," an official with the joint chiefs of staff said.
Nuclear explosion monitors at Geoscience Australia are still in the process of analysing seismic data for evidence of a nuclear blast.
A spokesman for the agency said once it had gathered the results, it would pass them to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, but as yet no unusual acitivity had been detected.
Prime Minister John Howard has strongly condemned the test, saying seismic activity confirmed a test had taken place.
China has also condemned the test, describing it as a "brazen" act.
More to come
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=150797
