Anti-nuclear protesters in South Korea.CTV.ca News Staff
North Korea has claimed to carry out what its neighbours have long feared -- the test of a nuclear weapon.
"The nuclear test is a historic event that brought happiness to our military and people," said a quote carried Monday by the Korean Central News Agency, the communist state's official agency.
"The nuclear test will contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the Korean peninsula and surrounding region."
The agency said there had been no radioactive leakage from the test site and that it was carried out with "with indigenous wisdom and technology 100 per cent."
Yonhap, the South Korean news agency, reported that South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun is huddling with his security advisers to plan a response.
The test occurred at 9:36 p.m. EDT Sunday night (10:36 a.m. local time on Monday), it said, citing defence officials as a source.
An official at South Korea's seismic monitoring centre told The Associated Press that they measured a 3.6-magnitude event about the time of the alleged test, and that the event wasn't a natural one. The U.S. Geological Survey claims to have detected a 4.2-magnitude tremor about that time.
If the claim is true, North Korea would become the ninth member of the world's nuclear weapons club.
The North had been threatening such a test as part of its deterrent against what it claims is a possible U.S. invasion. The U.S. has said it has no plans to invade the country it once called part of an "axis of evil."
The United States, South Korea, Japan and China have all warned North Korea, a secretive communist state, against the test.
The UN Security Council added its voice to the mix on Friday.
For the past year, the North has boycotted six-party talks aimed at getting it to end its attempt to develop a nuclear arsenal.
In 2003, North Korea pulled out of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty when the U.S. accused it of a secret nuclear program.
Earlier this year, worry over a possible test escalated when the U.S. and Japan reported suspicious activity at a suspected test site.
The international community became further alarmed when North Korea carried out missile tests this summer. One missile, the Taepodong-2, is reportedly capable of reaching some parts of the United States. However, that missile's test is believed to have failed.
Implications
"This is the nightmare scenario that the international community had wanted to avoid," CTV's Steve Chao told Newsnet from Beijing. "However, North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Il, has been threatening all weekend long that the tests would proceed."
Everyone is now scrambling to confirm the report, he said.
"It's been known for some time that North Korea has had the capability. It's believed they had enough plutonium to make at least five bombs."
Spy satellite imagery had shown work at a coal mine near the border with China, Chao said.
This alleged test was carried out by a country that is considered an economic basket case. Chao said some analysts it's for that reason that North Korea pushed ahead. "Many people say the nuclear option is an example of a regime fighting for survival. The fact is its people are starving ... its economy is failing. So North Korea wanted to make sure it is respected and that no one would invade them at this time."
While North Korea publicly frets about the U.S., Chao said the nation that might react most strongly is Japan, which has made it clear that a nuclear-armed North Korea is unacceptable to them.
This event will also be seen as a major diplomatic failure for China, because it has been unable to rein in North Korea, he said.
With files from The Associated Press
"The nuclear test is a historic event that brought happiness to our military and people," said a quote carried Monday by the Korean Central News Agency, the communist state's official agency.
"The nuclear test will contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the Korean peninsula and surrounding region."
The agency said there had been no radioactive leakage from the test site and that it was carried out with "with indigenous wisdom and technology 100 per cent."
Yonhap, the South Korean news agency, reported that South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun is huddling with his security advisers to plan a response.
The test occurred at 9:36 p.m. EDT Sunday night (10:36 a.m. local time on Monday), it said, citing defence officials as a source.
An official at South Korea's seismic monitoring centre told The Associated Press that they measured a 3.6-magnitude event about the time of the alleged test, and that the event wasn't a natural one. The U.S. Geological Survey claims to have detected a 4.2-magnitude tremor about that time.
If the claim is true, North Korea would become the ninth member of the world's nuclear weapons club.
The North had been threatening such a test as part of its deterrent against what it claims is a possible U.S. invasion. The U.S. has said it has no plans to invade the country it once called part of an "axis of evil."
The United States, South Korea, Japan and China have all warned North Korea, a secretive communist state, against the test.
The UN Security Council added its voice to the mix on Friday.
For the past year, the North has boycotted six-party talks aimed at getting it to end its attempt to develop a nuclear arsenal.
In 2003, North Korea pulled out of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty when the U.S. accused it of a secret nuclear program.
Earlier this year, worry over a possible test escalated when the U.S. and Japan reported suspicious activity at a suspected test site.
The international community became further alarmed when North Korea carried out missile tests this summer. One missile, the Taepodong-2, is reportedly capable of reaching some parts of the United States. However, that missile's test is believed to have failed.
Implications
"This is the nightmare scenario that the international community had wanted to avoid," CTV's Steve Chao told Newsnet from Beijing. "However, North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Il, has been threatening all weekend long that the tests would proceed."
Everyone is now scrambling to confirm the report, he said.
"It's been known for some time that North Korea has had the capability. It's believed they had enough plutonium to make at least five bombs."
Spy satellite imagery had shown work at a coal mine near the border with China, Chao said.
This alleged test was carried out by a country that is considered an economic basket case. Chao said some analysts it's for that reason that North Korea pushed ahead. "Many people say the nuclear option is an example of a regime fighting for survival. The fact is its people are starving ... its economy is failing. So North Korea wanted to make sure it is respected and that no one would invade them at this time."
While North Korea publicly frets about the U.S., Chao said the nation that might react most strongly is Japan, which has made it clear that a nuclear-armed North Korea is unacceptable to them.
This event will also be seen as a major diplomatic failure for China, because it has been unable to rein in North Korea, he said.
With files from The Associated Press
No comments:
Post a Comment