PYONGYANG: North Korea has conducted its fourth nuclear test, the country’s state media has announced, in a move that could take it a step closer to developing nuclear warheads capable of striking the US mainland.
North Korea said it has conducted a successful hydrogen bomb test in a surprise announcement that raised regional alarm and drew swift condemnation from opponents.
Before Wednesday’s announcement, which was made on state television, South Korea’s meteorological agency said the North likely to have conducted a nuclear test after a 5.1 magnitude earthquake was detected near a known test site in the secretive and isolated state.
South Korea’s presidential office held an emergency meeting and later said the government would take all possible measures in response to the apparent test.
North Korea has so far conducted three nuclear tests – in 2006, 2009 and 2013 – all at Punggye-ri.
The 2013 test registered at 5.1 on the USGS scale. (Al Jazeera)