IT WAS just a matter of time until North Korea carried out another test of a nuclear bomb. Since Kim Jong Un inherited power from his father in 2011, he has accelerated the pace of trials of nuclear bombs and ballistic missiles. The imposition of new sanctions this year and stern talk at the ASEAN summit this week will not have pleased Pyongyang. So it was that on September 9th, the holiday that celebrates the founding of North Korea’s communist regime by Mr Kim’s grandfather, the country announced that it had carried out its fifth test.
The force of the explosion appeared to be at least 10 kilotons, and perhaps as many as 30, making it by far the most powerful device North Korea has yet tested. It triggered an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.3, alerting South Korea of the event before its troublesome neighbour confirmed it. By comparison, North Korea’s previous test, in January this year, was estimated at six kilotons. (The prior three were in 2013, 2009 and 2006.)
North Korea’s increasing forcefulness is making the international community extremely nervous. It is thought to have a stockpile of some 20 devices to which it adds one every six weeks....Continue reading
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