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North Korea nuclear test suspected after 'artificial' quake

09 September 2016 05:23 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. North Korea is suspected of carrying out its fifth nuclear test, after an "artificial" magnitude 5.3 earthquake was detected close to its test site, APA reports quoting BBC.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted unnamed South Korean officials as saying it was highly likely to have been a nuclear test.

Previous artificial earthquakes in the same area and of that magnitude have all been nuclear tests.

There has been no comment from the North as yet

But recent satellite imagery and intelligence has shown indicated increased activity at the Punggye-ri nuclear site, indicating a fifth test was imminent.

Friday is also North Korea's National Day, which celebrates the start of the country's leadership regime.

North Korea often uses such events as an opportunity for a show of military strength.

The US Geological Survey, which monitors global seismic activity, said Friday morning's tremor had been detected in the Punggye-ri area in the north-east and was caused by "an explosion".

It said it could "cannot determine what type of explosion it may be, whether nuclear or any other possible type".

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said a nuclear test was a "possibility" and that Japan was closely co-ordinating with its allies.

"If North Korea has conducted a nuclear experiment, we absolutely cannot condone it. We must protest adamantly."

The US said it was monitoring the reports.

Hydrogen claims

North Korea analyst Jeffrey Lewis, at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in the US, told Reuters the size of Friday's tremor indicated a device with a 20 to 30 kilotonne yield.

If confirmed, that would be the North's largest device to date.

North Korea is banned by UN sanctions from any tests of nuclear or missile technology.

But in recent months it has conducted a series of ballistic missile launches and has threatened to carry out nuclear attacks on its enemies.

Its last nuclear test, in January, was purported to be of a hydrogen bomb, but that claim has not been confirmed.

International sanctions were considerably toughened in response, but had little impact on Pyongyang's determination to be a nuclear-armed state.