North Korea says successfully conducts nuclear test

Euronews – North Korea said it had successfully conducted a test of a miniaturised hydrogen nuclear device on Wednesday morning, marking a significant advance in the isolated state’s strike capabilities and raising alarm bells in Japan and South Korea.

The test, the fourth time North Korea has exploded a nuclear device, was ordered by young leader Kim Jong Un, state media said.

“The first H-bomb test was successfully conducted at 10:00 (0130 GMT) on Wednesday,” North Korea’s official KCNA news agency said.

Last month, Kim appeared to claim his country had developed a hydrogen bomb, also known as a thermonuclear device, a step up from the less powerful atomic bomb, but the United States and outside experts were sceptical at the time.

Some analysts questioned whether Wednesday’s test was indeed of a hydrogen device.