North Korea carries out biggest nuclear test

[DonDaddyD]

BBC News - North Korea carries out biggest nuclear test

BBC News:

North Korea has carried out its third, most powerful nuclear test despite UN warnings, and said "even stronger" action might follow.


It described the test as a "self-defensive measure" necessitated by the "continued hostility" of the US.
Its main ally, China, criticised the test, which was condemned worldwide.


Nuclear test monitors in Vienna say the underground explosion had double the force of the 2009 test, despite reportedly involving a smaller device.


If, as North Korea reports, a smaller device was tested successfully, analysts say this could take Pyongyang closer to building a warhead small enough to arm a missile.


The UN Security Council will meet at 14:00 GMT to discuss the test and its ramifications, diplomats say.



North Korea announced last month that it would conduct a third nuclear test following those in 2006 and 2009 as a response to UN sanctions that were expanded after the secretive communist state's December rocket launch, a move condemned by the UN as a banned test of missile technology.

Its a worry, the 'satellite' they lauched recently was clearly a missile and if this to be believed then they're clearly closer to having nuclear missle technology. But what is even more worrying is the rationale behind all this. The rhetoric it seems coming from North Korea is that they are pursuing ICBMs as a defensive measure due to the continued hostility of the US. They also see the US as the sworn enemy of the Korean people.

It's madness.

The entire Eastern region has condemned the act, so I guess the most important thing is how China reacts and what they decide to do. They won't want to damage their economy or position on the global level - they benefit too much from trade with the West, which has turned them into an International powerhouse. It would be unthinkable for them to invade North Korea after supporting them for so long and they couldn't truly stop providing aid as they couldn't support the large number of North Koreans fleeing over their borders from starvation etc....

(The Evil Conservative in me) However, having the East distablised would lower the value of the Yen and Yuan and potentially raise the value of the pound and dollar....

 

[Karma]

Didnt that satelite not even reach orbit & came crashing back down? i seem to remember one of their recent tests being a global humiliation for them. as for China? they're not going to do anything that will truly matter. Yes they're exasperated w/ their neighbor/ally...but they're more worried about the refugee problem that would result in them cutting off aid than anything else.

It's a sad thing how governments place more value on developing weapons & tech than trying to feed/care for their ppl & environment. but that's damn near every country in the world.

 

[DonDaddyD]

The satellite was never meant to reach space IMO. But yes, the outcome was humiliating for them.

I've got faith in the Chinese and this time round they've got more to lose from not acting and/or not supporting the UN than standing beside North Korea.