N. Korea carries out ‘biggest ever’ nuclear test: Seoul

TIL Desk/World/Seoul-North Korea is believed to have conducted a fifth nuclear test, its most powerful to date, South Korea’s military said today after monitors detected a 5.3-magnitude “artificial earthquake” near its main nuclear site. A confirmed test by the isolated North would send tensions soaring over its nuclear and ballistic missile ambitions, which have already earned international condemnation and United Nations sanctions.

The quake was detected near North Korea’s Punggye-ri nuclear test site as the country celebrates Foundation Day, which marks the anniversary of the founding of the nation in 1948. “We believe that it was a nuclear test. We are trying to figure out whether it was successful. The blast measured about 10 kilotons,” a defence ministry spokesman told reporters.

The North’s third nuclear test, staged in February 2013, was previously considered the most powerful to date, with a yield of six to nine kilotons. Authorities in Japan and South Korea said the tremor, measured at 5.3 by the US Geological Survey, showed every sign of another test, the latest since a January 6 test at Punggye-ri.