A South Korean man watches a TV news
showing a file footage of North Korea's nuclear
test at the Seoul train station in Seoul, South
Korea, on Tuesday. Photo: AP
A magnitude 5.1 artificial earthquake was
reported near a nuclear test site in North Korea
on Tuesday morning, with South Korean Defence
Ministry officials telling local media that the
seismic activity was the result of a third nuclear
test conducted by the reclusive state. The man-made earthquake was also reported
to have been felt in parts of northeastern China
near the border with North Korea, close to the
region where the country tested nuclear devices
in 2006 and 2009 in moves that flouted
international sanctions and heightened regional tensions. 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. Warnings ignored The reported test has been confirmed by North
Korean State media. On Monday, Kim Jong-un,
who took over as the new leader in December
2011 following the death of his father, had
signalled that the North officially the Democratic
Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) would continue with conducting long-range rocket
tests despite recent warnings from the United
Nations Security Council (UNSC) and even China,
the Norths only ally. The ruling Workers Party of Korea adopted a
resolution on Monday that stressed the need to
continue launching satellites of
Kwangmyongsong series and powerful long-
range rockets, the State-run Korea Central News
Agency (KCNA) reported. Seismic activity was detected at 11.57am local
time (8.27 am IST) on Tuesday morning, the
South Korean Yonhap News Agency said. South
Korean President Lee Myung-bak had convened
an emergency meeting of the National Security
Council, with both Defence Ministry and Foreign Ministry officials believing a nuclear test had
been conducted, the report added. Yonhap also reported that the North had notified
the United States and China a day earlier. Chinese
officials could not be immediately reached for
comment on Tuesday morning, with some
government departments remaining closed on
account of the Lunar New Year. N.Korea nuclear test - Initial statement by
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary( Prime Minister's
Office of Japan FB page) South Koreas reaction South Korea has requested the UNSC to hold an
emergency meeting on Tuesday evening, an
official told Yonhap. A Defence Ministry official
said the nuclear device had, according to initial
estimates, yielded 6-7 kilotons, suggesting
Tuesdays test had exceeded the yields reported in tests in 2006 and 2009. The move is set to heighten regional tensions.
The previous nuclear test, in 2009, brought
international condemnation and tightened
sanctions from the UNSC. In recent weeks, Chinese officials 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 Norths
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 previousnuclear tests
in 2006 and 2009.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/intern...nducts-third-nuclear-test/article4406682.ece/