North Korea Announces It Conducted Nuclear Test

[Ryan Ruck]

North Korea Announces It Conducted Nuclear Test

January 6, 2016

North Korea says it has successfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test, which if confirmed, will be a first for the reclusive regime and a significant advancement for its military ambitions.

A hydrogen bomb is more powerful than plutonium weapons, which is what North Korea used in its three previous underground nuclear tests.

"If there's no invasion on our sovereignty we will not use nuclear weapon," the North Korean state news agency said. "This H-bomb test brings us to a higher level of nuclear power."

A senior U.S. administration told CNN it could take days to obtain the scientific data to determine whether this was a successful test.

The South Korean defense ministry said it too could not immediately confirm the test's success, but the country's foreign ministry hastily convened an emergency meeting. Officials in Japan were also holding discussions.

The test took place at 10 a.m. local time, the regime said in a televised statement.

The seismic event, which measured the event at a magnitude of 5.1, occurred 19 kilometers (12 miles) east-northeast of Sungjibaegam, the United States Geological Survey said.

A big 'if'

In the past, North Korea has tested fission weapons, which break large atoms like plutonium, into smaller atoms, creating considerable energy.

Fusion weapons, such as hydrogen bombs, use fusion to combine small atoms -- such as hydrogen -- to create much larger amounts of energy.

Nuclear weapons based on fission typically have a yield of around 10 kilotons, while nuclear weapons employing fusion can have a yield measured in megatons.

A hydrogen bomb is hundreds of times more powerful than the atomic bomb that devastated Hiroshima in 1945.

The North Koreans have signaled for some time the test was a possibility, said Mike Chinoy, with the U.S.-China Institute at the University of Southern California.

"Kim Jong Un made public statement a few weeks ago saying that (the country was) developing a hydrogen bomb."

But, said Bruce Bennett, North Korea's claims ought to be taken with a grain of salt. Bennett is a senior defense analyst at the nonprofit, nonpartisan Rand Corp.

"North Korea appears to have had a difficult time mastering even the basics of a fission weapon," he said. "This suggests that unless North Korea has had help from outside experts, it is unlikely that it has really achieved a hydrogen/fusion bomb since its last nuclear test, just short of three years ago."

Regional response

The development illustrates the continuing challenge North Korea poses to its neighbors and the world.

"We have consistently made clear that we will not accept it as a nuclear state," said a spokesman for the National Security Council. "We will continue to protect and defend our allies in the region, including the Republic of Korea, and will respond appropriately to any and all North Korean provocations."

The North Koreans have signaled for some time the test was a possibility, said Mike Chinoy, with the U.S.-China Institute at the University of Southern California.

"The fact that the test has taken place, assuming it was successful, complicates the situation in Northeast Asia," he said. "Beijing had been becoming more friendly."

Being more warm and cordial was hoped to restrain North Korea but now this places the Chinese authorities in a big dilemma.

South Korea has also said a fourth test would be a watershed moment that would warrant a response, Chinoy said.

There is currently no diplomacy from the U.S. to restrain the nuclear development, so this test "also puts the U.S. on the spot.

"Will any of their steps do anything to restrain North Korea? My guess is probably not."

Japan quickly issued a strong condemnation, saying the test was a "serious threat" to its security.

"It clearly violates the UNSC resolution and is a serious challenge to the nuclear non-proliferation efforts," said Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

A UN diplomat tells CNN there is expected to be closed-door session Security Council consultations Wednesday morning (ET).

Heavily militarized country

North Korea's internationally isolated regime is a heavily militarized state with a huge standing army of 1.2 million active soldiers and 7.7 million reservists.

But its conventional weaponry is dated, with limited effectiveness, and it has looked to developing its nuclear capabilities to project power internationally.

The country declared it had nuclear weapons in 2003, and conducted nuclear tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013.

In May last year, it said it had the ability to miniaturize nuclear weapons, a development that would allow it to deploy nuclear weapons on missiles. A U.S. National Security Council spokesman responded at the time that the United States did not think the North Koreans had such a capability.

David Albright, a former U.N. weapons inspector, told CNN last year that Pyongyang could already have 10 to 15 atomic weapons, and that it could grow that amount by several weapons per year.

He said he believed Pyongyang had the capability to miniaturize a warhead for shorter missiles, but not yet for intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of reaching the United States.

[American Patriot]

A hydrogen bomb. And the ability to deliver it via intercontinental missile. That is quite a development.

I don't expect them to use one soon, but I expect they WILL use one.

[Ryan Ruck]

South Korea: North Korea Conducts Fifth Nuclear Test

September 8, 2016

North Korea conducted a fifth nuclear test Friday, potentially its most powerful yet, South Korean officials said.

Seismic activity, with a magnitude of 5.3, was detected around 9 a.m. local time(8:30 p.m. ET) near Punggye-ri, Kilju County -- the same location as four other tests, the most recent of which was in January.

South Korea condemned the test and said it was a clear violation of the United Nations Security Council resolution.

"The only thing that Kim Jong Un regime can gain from the nuclear tests is stronger sanctions from the international community and its isolation. Such provocation will eventually hasten its path to self-destruction," South Korean President Park Geun-hye said in a statement.

The blast had the explosive power of 10 kilotons, almost twice as large as the previous test, said Kim Nam-wook, a South Korea's Meteorological Administration.

By comparison, the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima was 15 kilotons.

"We are currently analyzing whether it was a successful test," a defense ministry official told CNN.

A US official told CNN that it looked like a nuclear test but confirmation would be dependent on seismic readings, location of the seismic event and whether it can be matched to an underground test site.

Sniffer planes

The US Air Force is expected to start flying the WC-135 Constant Phoenix Aircraft in the coming hours to take air samples and see if it can determine a nuclear event occurred. Japan has sent four jets to test for radiation.

Satellite images had shown new activity at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site in recent weeks, according to North Korea monitoring site 38North.



A small number of mining carts could be seen, as well as a new canopy which was designed to hide activity to the site, analysts said.

In January, North Korea claimed it had successfully tested a hydrogen bomb, a move that was condemned by the UN Security Council and led to punitive sanctions on the North Korean regime.

'Absolutely unacceptable'

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters Friday that if North Korea had conducted another nuclear test it was "absolutely unacceptable."

"We must lodge a strong protest," he said.

Concern has been growing that North Korea is testing weapons at an unprecedented pace this year, said CNN Seoul correspondent Paula Hancocks.

In addition to January's nuclear test, North Korea in March claimed to have miniaturized nuclear warheads and has tested several ballistic missiles, including some launched from a submarine.



Sanctions, including ones targeting Kim Jong Un personally, have had little effect.

Friday is North Korea's national day and the nuclear test also comes just after U.S. President Barack Obama left Asia after attending international summits in China and Laos.

Earlier, the U.S. Geological Survey reported a 5.3 magnitude earthquake in North Korea, but later termed it an explosion. The South Korea Meteorological Administration measured the quake as magnitude 5.0 but said it believed it was artificial.

[American Patriot]

Yesterday after noon Matt Bracken annoucned that there were some sniffer planes sent up by the US probably 12 to 18 hours prior to this happening.

That means we had GOOD intel it was going to go off and we wanted to get information on the explosion.

I told the thread I thought the Russians were getting ready to Glass Syria. lol

[Ryan Ruck]

North Korea Says It Will Continue Preparing 'Pre-Emptive Attacks With Nuclear Force'

December 30, 2017

North Korea promised on Saturday to continue preparing "pre-emptive attacks with nuclear force" in the face of U.S. "blackmail," according to The Associated Press.

"Do not expect any change in its policy," the state's official media arm, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Saturday. "Its entity as an invincible power can neither be undermined nor be stamped out."

KCNA said North Korea has been working toward "bolstering the capabilities for self-defense and pre-emptive attacks with nuclear force," in response to ongoing "nuclear threat and blackmail and war drills" by the U.S.

North Korea has tested missiles at least 16 times in 2017, and threatened the use of a hydrogen bomb small enough to fit on a missile. More than one North Korean missile flew into the air space of neighboring Japan, and new models have flown to heights that some military analysts predict could reach the mainland U.S.

Increased provocations from North Korea have led to the implementation of crippling sanctions from the United Nations in the form of trade and crude oil bans, and bombastic rhetoric from President Trump.

Trump in August said he would unleash "fire and fury" on Pyongyang if it continued to threaten the U.S.

[Ryan Ruck]

Kim Says US Should Know North Korean Nuclear Force A Reality

January 1, 2017

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Monday that the United States should be aware that his country's nuclear forces are now a reality, not a threat. But he also struck a conciliatory tone in his New Year's address, wishing success for the Winter Olympics set to begin in South Korea in February and suggesting the North may send a delegation to participate.

Kim, wearing a Western-style gray suit and tie, said in his customary annual address that his country had achieved the historic feat of "completing" its nuclear forces and added that he has a nuclear button on his desk.

"The U.S. should know that the button for nuclear weapons is on my table," he said during the speech, as translated by The Associated Press.

"The entire area of the U.S. mainland is within our nuclear strike range. ... The United States can never start a war against me and our country," Kim said.

He also called for improved relations with the South, an idea mentioned in speeches more often than it is met. He said the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics would be a good opportunity to showcase the status of the Korean nation.

He also said the two Koreas could meet urgently to discuss the North sending a delegation.

"The Winter Olympic games that will be held soon in the South will be a good opportunity to display the status of the Korean nation and we sincerely wish that the event will be held with good results," he said.

South Korea's presidential office said it welcomed the proposal to hold talks between government officials over the issue of North Korea sending a delegation to the Olympics. The office of President Moon Jae-in said the successful hosting of the Pyeongchang Olympics would contribute to peace and harmony not only on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia, but in the entire world.

The New Year's address is an annual event in North Korea and is watched closely for indications of the direction and priorities Kim may adopt in the year ahead.

This year's speech was seen as particularly important because of the high tensions over Pyongyang's frequent missile launches and its nuclear test in 2017. The tests were the focus of fiery verbal exchanges between North Korea and President Donald Trump, who has derisively called Kim "little rocket man."

Kim also stressed North Korea's economic achievements during the speech, and noted the importance of improving the nation's standard of living.