North Korea announces hydrogen bomb test

North Korea says it has successfully tested a miniaturised hydrogen bomb which, if confirmed, would be its fourth nuclear test since 2006.

It came after a 5.1 magnitude quake was detected close to its nuclear test site at Punggye-ri, indicating a test may have been conducted.

This is North Korea's first claim to have tested a hydrogen bomb which is more powerful than a basic atomic bomb.

International experts have cast doubt over the North's nuclear capabilities.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The latest on North Korea's announcement that it conducted a hydrogen bomb test on Wednesday (all times local):


U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Joseph Aucoin, commander of the 7th Fleet, delivers a speech in front of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan upon arrival at the U.S. Navy base in Yokosuka, south of Tokyo. Aucoin says the Navy is watching North Korea closely after the country conducted its fourth nuclear test. Aucoin told reporters Friday morning, Jan. 8, 2016, that the Navy has ships in the area and is monitoring very closely, and added that he could not be more specific.
January 08, 2016

A South Korean research institution says a small amount of radioactive elements was found in air samples collected from the peninsula's eastern seas after the blast Wednesday in North Korea. The institute says, however, that the measured amount was too small to determine whether the North had really detonated a nuclear device.

The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety said the level of xenon-133 isotopes found in the samples was similar to levels normally detected at its two radioactive gas detectors on the eastern and western coasts. KINS official Lee Ki-hyeong also noted that other types of xenon isotopes used to confirm nuclear explosions weren't detected.

Lee says the institute will continue to collect and analyze more samples.

Seoul: North Korea has sent 1 million propaganda leaflets

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea has launched an estimated 1 million propaganda leaflets by balloon into South Korea amid increased tension between the rivals following the North's recent nuclear test, Seoul officials said Monday.
South Korea. North Korea has launched an estimated 1 million propaganda leaflets by balloon into South Korea amid increased animosities between the rivals following the North’s recent nuclear test, Seoul officials said Monday, Jan. 18, 2016.
January 18, 2016

A Cold War-style standoff flared since the North's claim on Jan. 6 that it had tested a hydrogen bomb. South Korea resumed blasting anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts and K-pop songs from border loudspeakers. North Korea quickly responded by restarting its own border broadcasts and floating the balloons over the border carrying anti-South leaflets, according to Seoul officials.

Seoul's Defense Ministry said Monday the North's military has been sending the balloons on a near-daily basis. Spokesman Kim Min-seok said the leaflets have reached Seoul in addition to areas close to the border.

Such leafleting by the North is rare, as the two Koreas officially stopped psychological warfare as part of tension-reduction measures in 2004. South Korean activists have still occasionally sent propaganda balloons toward the North, triggering angry responses from the North.

South Korean officials believe their broadcasts will sting in the rigidly controlled, authoritarian country by demoralizing frontline troops and residents. There are doubts in Seoul that the North Korean leaflets will have any impact on the public in more affluent South Korea.

Many foreign governments and analysts remain highly skeptical about the H-bomb claim, but whatever the North detonated underground will likely push the country closer toward a fully functional nuclear arsenal, which it still is not thought to have. The North previously conducted atomic bomb tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013.

South Korea, the U.S. and other countries are pushing hard to get North Korea punished over the bomb test. Soon after the test, diplomats at a U.N. Security Council pledged to swiftly pursue new sanctions on the North. But it's unclear whether China, the North's last major ally and a veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council, would cooperate on any tough sanctions that could force a change in the North.

The two Koreas share the world's most heavily fortified border since their war in the early 1950s ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. About 28,500 American troops are deployed in South Korea as deterrence against North Korea.

bb1 wrote:I am awaiting the day when China decides it's bad for business to have a rogue state, run by a lunatic, on their doorstep.

N. Korea orders military takeover of inter-Korean factories

PAJU, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Thursday ordered a military takeover of a factory park that had been the last major symbol of cooperation with South Korea, calling Seoul's earlier suspension of operations at the jointly run facility as punishment for the North's recent rocket launch a "dangerous declaration of war."   Full story at link.

PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — February 18, 2016
Produce more new-generation electric locomotives and passenger cars! Send more satellites into space! Make the whole country seethe with a high-pitched campaign for producing green-house vegetables! Become iron shields and red warriors who defend the party, system and people to the death!

North Koreans sit behind a banner with an exclamation mark during a figure skating performance held as part of celebrations on the "Day of the Shining Star" or birthday anniversary of late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang, North Korea.

While the rest of the world was focusing its attention on North Korea’s recent nuclear test and rocket launch, the country’s ruling party announced a slew of new slogans Thursday intended to guide and inspire the nation ahead of a once-in-a-generation party congress scheduled for May. Judging from the number of exclamation marks, it appears they have a lot of work to do.

Even as North Korea is being threatened with new sanctions and more isolation for conducting a nuclear test and rocket launch, its ruling party announced new slogans to guide and inspire the nation ahead of a once-in-a-generation party congress scheduled for May. The number of exclamation marks would suggest North Koreans have a lot of work to do.

The slogans, issued Thursday by the Central Committee and the Central Military Commission of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, reflect what the party sees as the nation's priorities in the months and years ahead. The topics range from boosting the economy to becoming an international sports power and, of course, building more edifices in honor of the leaders and toeing the party line.

The nuclear bomb test conducted in January was mentioned just once, but it was a mouthful: "Let's dynamically wage this year's general advance in the same spirit as shown in succeeding in the H-bomb test!"

Some of the other slogans, as translated by the North's official Korean Central News Agency: ON THE ECONOMY: "Achieve a great victory on the front of agriculture this year!" "Make the whole country seethe with a high-pitched campaign for producing green-house vegetables!"

"Build modern mushroom production bases like the Pyongyang City Mushroom Farm across the country!" "Let's turn the country into the one of orchards!" "Let's give a decisive solution to the problem of consumer goods!"

"Decisively improve the fishing industry of the country by making a revolution in it!" "Make the foreign trade multilateral and diverse!" "Let the people enjoy the highest quality of civilization on the highest level!"

ON IDEOLOGY: "Build more edifices representing the era of the (ruling) WPK and the spirit of the Korean nation!" "Let us take it as the lifeline and the key point to implement the behests of the great leaders!"

"Always advance straight ahead, following the party!" "Let us resolutely foil the aggression and intervention moves of the imperialists and dominationists!" "Let us put an end to the anti-DPRK hostile policy of the U.S., the source of confrontation and escalation of tension!"

ON THE MILITARY: "Send more satellites of Juche Korea into space!" "Let us thoroughly implement our Party's policy of putting all the people under arms and turning the whole country into a fortress!" "Develop and produce a greater number of various means of military strike of our own style that are capable of overwhelming the enemy!"

"Let the defense industry sector make a positive contribution to building an economic giant and improving the people's standard of living!" "Let us fight devotedly for respected Supreme Commander Comrade Kim Jong Un!"

"The Korean People's Internal Security Forces should sharpen the sword for defending their leader, system and people!" ON ARTS, EDUCATION AND CULTURE: "Become the sparks setting fire to the hearts of the masses and detonators giving full play to their mental power!"

"Consider it as the revolutionary ethics and revolutionary party discipline to work and live in a simple, honest and upright manner!" "Let us make the flames of educational revolution rage furiously in the new century!"

"Create new legendary stories about sports of heroic Korea in international games!" "Bring about a revolution in media and literature and arts in the new century!"