DPRK conducts 6th nuclear test, raising strong condemnation from neighboring countries

PYONGYANG, Sept.4 — The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
(DPRK) on Sunday successfully detonated a hydrogen bomb capable of being
carried by an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), official media
announced.

The DPRK Central Television said the test was carried out at the order of
top leader Kim Jong Un, who chaired a meeting of the standing committee of
the political bureau of the Workers’ Party of Korea on the Korean Peninsula
situation and decided to conduct the H-bomb test. The TV report showed
still photos of the document signed by Kim ordering the test, which was the
sixth nuclear test by the DPRK so far. The test, which came amid simmering
tensions on the Korean Peninsula, runs counter to relevant UN Security
Council resolutions and the goal of denuclearizing the peninsula. After
the nuclear test, South Korean President Moon Jae-in ordered a pursuit of
the “most powerful sanctions” on the DPRK with the international community,
according to the Yonhap news agency.

U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster spoke with his South Korean
counterpart, Chung Eui-yong, for about 20 minutes in an emergency phone
call about the nuclear test, to discuss the possibility of deploying U.S.
military defense devices in South Korea. Chung said South Korea will also
seek new U.N. Security Council sanctions to “completely isolate” the DPRK.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe slammed the DPRK’s sixth nuclear test
Sunday, saying the country’s “nuclear and missile development poses a grave
and immediate new level of threat” and “seriously undermines peace and
security of the region,” according to Kyodo news. “The UN Security Council
has strongly criticized North Korea for repeatedly going ahead with
ballistic missile launches this year… We find it completely intolerable
that North Korea (DPRK) has conducted a nuclear test in such (an
environment),” Abe said in the statement.

Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Sunday, expressing firm
opposition to and strong condemnation of the nuclear test by the DPRK.
“The DPRK has ignored the international community’s widespread opposition
and conducted a nuclear test again. The Chinese government expresses
resolute objection to and strong condemnation of it,” the ministry’s
statement said. “We strongly urge the DPRK side to face the firm
determination of the international community on the denuclearization of the
Korean Peninsula, fully abide by the relevant treaties of the UN Security
Council, and stop making wrong doings which will deteriorate the situation
and which serves no good to its own interests, and return to the track of
solving problems through dialogue,” the statement said. – XINHUA