North Korea claims they have made striking development in nuclear testing. On Wednesday, North Korea released information that it has had a successful hydrogen bomb test. This startling advancement has put some world leaders on edge while others remain skeptical that the claim is even true.
While other countries scramble to confirm these claims, North Korea sticks to its guns. According to CNN, Kim Jong Un signed a document which stated the following:
“Make the world … look up to our strong nuclear country and labor party by opening the year with exciting noise of the first hydrogen bomb!”
This news would indicate that after about 10 years of nuclear testing, North Korea has finally reached a point in nuclear growth that far outdoes its last nuclear test in 2013 which was with plutonium weapons. This development could potentially spell worry for its sister country South Korea. Or worse.
However, is this something to be concerned about? At the moment, no.
North Korea has been doing bomb tests since 2006 and its last most recent test, in 2013, seems to have caused similar seismic activity to the one being claimed now.
The New York Times explained it by saying:
“The United States Geological Survey reported that it detected a magnitude 5.1 seismic event in the northeastern part of North Korea, where the test is said to have occurred — roughly similar to what happened in 2013, when North Korea tested an atomic bomb.”
Knowing this have made some wary of North Korea’s claims. According to King’s College London military expert Martin Navais on whether or not it appears to be a hydrogen bomb:
“It doesn’t look like one; … one would have expected it to be greater if it was an H-bomb…We won’t know for another few days or weeks whether this was (a hydrogen bomb).”
While no information has been verified to be true at the moment, the story is sure to be updated in the upcoming days or weeks.
