North Korea claims to have conducted ‘perfect’ hydrogen bomb test

North Korea conduced its sixth and most powerful nuclear test on Sunday, having successfully detonated an advanced hydrogen bomb, according to North Korean state media.

The detonation was detected by a number of seismic monitoring agencies, which detected what seemed like an earthquake close to the test site.

Shortly after the blast was detected, Pyongyang confirmed the detonation, describing it as a “perfect success”. Japanese and South Korean officials have said the blast was 9.8 times greater than the last test carried out by North Korea back in September 2016.

Reports form the US Geological Survey put the tremor at 6.3 magnitude, making it the most powerful test to date. 

Japan condemned the test and South Korean President Moon Jae-in convened emergency security council talks.

According to South Korean officials, the latest test took place at the North’s Punggye-ri nuclear test site and came hours after North Korea said it had miniaturised a hydrogen bomb for use on a long-range missile. North Korean state media said the device could be loaded on to a ballistic missile.

Reacting to the news on Twitter, US president Donald Trump said the Hermit Kingdom’s “words and actions continued to be very hostile and dangerous to the United States”.

“North Korea is a rogue nation which has become a great threat an embarrassment to China, which is trying to help out but with little success,” wrote Trump.

The president was also critical of South Korea, whose “talk of appeasement with North Korea will not work”, adding that the country “only understands one thing”.

In addition to the condemnation by South Korea and Japan, China also expressing “strong condemnation” and said the state “had ignored the international community’s widespread opposition”. Russia on the other hand, urged all sides to focus on a diplomatic solution as this was the only way to resolve the current crisis.

UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also condemned the attacks which he described as “reckless” and a “new order of threat” from the North Korean regime.