A man watches news reports of the suspected nuclear test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, in Seoul, South Korea, Feb. 12, 2013. The South Korean Defense Ministry believed that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has conducted a nuclear test on Tuesday, a local TV station reported. The DPRK said on Tuesday that it has successfully conducted a third nuclear test to safeguard national security against U.S. hostile policy, the official KCNA news agency reported. (Xinhua/Park Jin-hee)
PYONGYANG, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said on Tuesday it has successfully conducted the third underground nuclear test, according to the official KCNA news agency.
The test was part of the country's "practical measures of counteraction" to defend its security and sovereignty against hostile U.S.policies, which it claimed have violated DPRK's "rights to launch satellite for peaceful purposes," the KCNA said in a statement.
The KCNA also said the test was done in a "safe and perfect" way with a smaller and light A-bomb unlike the previous ones, yet with great explosive power.
The statement has finally confirmed the conjecture of the international community that linked an earthquake occurred Tuesday in the DPRK with Pyongyang's plan for a fresh nuclear test, which has been strongly opposed.
The UN Security Council is scheduled to meet in an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss the situation, diplomatic sources told Xinhua.
Earlier, the DPRK vowed to proceed with missile and nuclear tests targeting the United States, its "sworn enemy," after the UN Security Council adopted a resolution to condemn its Dec. 12 rocket launch.
Pyongyang conducted similar nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama condemned the nuclear test conducted Tuesday by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) as "highly provocative," while urging for "further swift and credible action" by the international community. Full story
TOKYO, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese Defense Ministry said Tuesday that it will fly military jets to survey radiation over the country after an "artificial quake," possibly a nuclear test, was detected in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), local media reported.
Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a press conference that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has ordered relative government organs to analyze the information of the earthquake and the possible nuclear test. Full story
TOKYO, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tuesday that the nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is "regrettable," and Japan strongly protests against it, local media reported. Full story
SEOUL, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- S. Korean official said here Tuesday that there is "high possibility" of the Democratic People' s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has conducted nuclear test after detecting artificial magnitude 5.1 quake, Yonhap reported. Full story
TOKYO, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Tuesday that Japan will immediately convene a security meeting after an "artificial quake" was detected in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
Suga said that the Japan Meteorological Agency detected a 5.2 magnitude earthquake with the epicenter locating at 41.2 degree north latitude and 129.3 east longitude in the DPRK territory. Full story
PYONGYANG, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will continue launching powerful long-range rockets, the official news agency KCNA reported early Tuesday.
A decision adopted Monday by the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) "stressed the need to continue launching satellites of Kwangmyongsong series and powerful long-range rockets," according to KCNA. Full story
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on Thursday called upon the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to abide by all the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the Sept. 19 joint statement of 2005 in order to avoid any further move to create more tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
The secretary-general, while speaking to a small group of UN- based correspondents in his office, said that the joint statement "is an agreement which was made amongst the six parties, including the DPRK, that should be implemented for continuing the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." Full story
BEIJING, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- A Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Wednesday that China opposes any moves that could create more tension on the Korean Peninsula.
Spokeswoman Hua Chunying made the remarks at a daily news briefing in response to a question regarding the current situation on the peninsula.
Last month, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) announced a "higher-level" nuclear test after the UN Security Council approved a resolution condemning a DPRK rocket launch that took place last December. Full story
SEOUL, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- A nuclear test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will further isolate the country already under tough international sanctions, South Korea's President-elect Park Geun-hye said Thursday.
"North Korea (DPRK) cannot achieve anything with nuclear ( threats)," Park said in a rare meeting with the leaders of the ruling and the main opposition parties. "If the North presses ahead with a nuclear test despite the warning from the international community, it will bring further isolation." Full story
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