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Global outrage greets North Korea’s hydrogen bomb test

By Editor
07 January 2016   |   4:37 am
OUTRAGE and condemnations by leaders around the world yesterday greeted North Korea’s announcement that it conducted its fourth nuclear test, and its first of a hydrogen bomb Among the first to react was its immediate neighbor President Park Geun-Hye, of South Korea who said, “It’s not only grave provocation of our national security, but also…
Ban-Ki-Moon

Ban Ki-Moon

OUTRAGE and condemnations by leaders around the world yesterday greeted North Korea’s announcement that it conducted its fourth nuclear test, and its first of a hydrogen bomb

Among the first to react was its immediate neighbor President Park Geun-Hye, of South Korea who said, “It’s not only grave provocation of our national security, but also an act that threatens our lives and future. It’s also a direct challenge to world peace and stability.”

And for the British foreign secretary: Philip Hammond, “If a nuclear device has been detonated by North Korea, this is a grave breach of U.N. Security Council resolutions and a provocation which I condemn without reservation. “I have discussed this matter today in Beijing with my Chinese counterpart, State Councillor Yang Jiechi, and we have agreed to work with other members of the U.N. Security Council towards a robust international response.”

Obama-1

Obama

The Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe while reacting to the development said, “North Korea’s nuclear test this time is a major threat to our nation’s safety. This absolutely cannot be tolerated and we strongly condemn this act. … Going forward, our country, as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, will coordinate with the United States, South Korea, China and Russia to take resolute measures.”

And from America, Joel Wit, former U.S. State Department official and founder of 38 North, a North Korea-oriented website at the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, said “Every nuclear power essentially moves down the same track as they develop nuclear weapons. And that track is miniaturization, but also increasing the yield of nuclear weapons. That’s what the Americans did, that’s what the Russians did.”

Wit said that if North Korea detonated a hydrogen bomb, it would likely be the least advanced form, a “boosted” hybrid weapon rather than a single-stage or two-stage H-bomb.
“If the North Koreans could build a single stage or a two-stage, which is unlikely, they’d be much more advanced in terms of their nuclear weapons program they we thought they were.”

In the view of the Australian foreign minister, Julie Bishop. “Today’s nuclear test confirms North Korea’s status as a rogue state and a continuing threat to international peace and security.”
Hua Chunying, spokeswoman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said “The Chinese government firmly opposes this nuclear test by North Korea. We surely will summon North Korean senior officials and the ambassador to lodge our solemn protest.”

Shinzo AbeAnd in his comment Lassina Zerbo, Executive Secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization said, “If confirmed as a nuclear test, this act constitutes a breach of the universally accepted norm against nuclear testing; a norm that has been respected by 183 countries since 1996. It is also a grave threat to international peace and security. … I sincerely hope that this will serve as the final wake-up call to the international community to outlaw all nuclear testing.”

A North Korean television anchor while defending the country said, “The Republic (referring to North Korea), as a responsible nuclear weapon holder, will neither use nuclear weapons first nor transfer (nuclear) related means and technology under any circumstances as already declared unless aggressive, hostile forces infringe upon our autonomy.

There can neither be suspension of nuclear development nor nuclear dismantlement unless the U.S. rolls back its vicious hostile policy toward North Korea.”

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