North Korea has announced to have successfully conducted a hydrogen bomb test after an “artificial” earthquake was detected near the country’s main nuclear testing site on Wednesday morning.
Chinese and South Korean officials both said there were early indications the tremor was man-made, with South Korea’s Met Agency saying it was ‘highly likely’ the earthquake was caused by nuclear testing.
A fourth nuclear test could bring North Korea a step closer to developing a nuclear warhead small enough to be mounted on a long-range missile, and possibly bringing the US mainland within striking distance.
Yonhap added that North Korea was due to make a “major announcement” around midday local time on Wednesday.
The tremor was a “suspected explosion”, the China Earthquake Network Centre said on its website. It gave the magnitude as 4.9.
The United States Geological Service, meanwhile, said it had detected a 5.1 magnitude quake. South Korean meteorological officials said the epicentre of the quake was 49 kms (30 miles) from the Punggyeri site in North Hamgyong province, where North Korea has conducted nuclear tests in the past.
