‘Manic recklessness’: North Korea claims to have carried out most powerful nuclear test after earthquake detected
The move drew swift condemnation from US President Barack Obama who warned of “serious consequences”
North Korea has successfully tested a nuclear warhead, it said on Friday, drawing condemnation from the South which said the “maniacal recklessness” of young ruler Kim Jong-un would lead to self-destruction.
Pyongyang’s state media said the test, which comes after a series of ballistic missile launches that have drawn international condemnation and UN sanctions, had achieved its goal of being able to fit a miniaturised nuclear warhead on a rocket.
No one should be surprised that North Korea continues to conduct nuclear tests ... Nor should they expect China to solve this problem for the United States
“Our nuclear scientists staged a nuclear explosion test on a newly developed nuclear warhead at the country’s northern nuclear test site,” a North Korean TV announcer said.
“Our... party sent a congratulatory message to our nuclear scientists... for conducting the successful nuclear warhead explosion test,” she said as the South judged it was the North’s biggest test yet at 10 kilotons.
The move drew swift condemnation from US President Barack Obama who warned of “serious consequences” and said he had called the leaders of South Korea and Japan to confer over the crisis.
President Park Geun-hye spoke out against the “maniacal recklessness” of Kim, who since taking control after the death of his father in 2011 has carried out a series of purges and weapons tests designed to show strength and consolidate power.