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2006 North Korean nuclear test

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A North Korean nuclear test was reportedly carried out, for the first time, on October 9, 2006, nearly a week after North Korea claimed that it was planning to perform a test. The Korean Central News Agency, the country's state news agency, issued a statement that its government "successfully conducted an underground nuclear test under secure conditions."[1] It released the following statement:[2]

The field of scientific research in the DPRK successfully conducted an underground nuclear test under secure conditions on October 9, 2006, at a stirring time when all the people of the country are making a great leap forward in the building of a great, prosperous, powerful socialist nation. It has been confirmed that there was no such danger as radioactive emission in the course of the nuclear test as it was carried out under scientific consideration and careful calculation.
The nuclear test was conducted with indigenous wisdom and technology 100 percent. It marks a historic event as it greatly encouraged and pleased the KPA and people that have wished to have powerful self-reliant defense capability. It will contribute to defending the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the area around it.

U.S. officials have reported that the government of the People's Republic of China was given a 20-minute advance warning that the test was about to occur.[3] The PRC sent an emergency alert to Washington through the United States embassy in Beijing and President George W. Bush was told shortly after 10 p.m. that a test was imminent by National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley.[4]

Fox News stated at 3:59 a.m. UTC that a senior Bush administrator claimed that the test that occurred appears to have fallen short of the 4 kilotons TNT equivalent that the North Koreans initially attempted to detonate.[5] Estimations based off a rough correlation between seismic activity and nuclear yield according to the Richter Scale would place the bomb's yield at somewhere between 500 and 2,000 tons. [6] If this is the actual yield of the device it would possibly qualify the test as a fizzle. By comparison, the bomb the United States dropped on Hiroshima was equivalent to 12,500 tons of TNT and the first nuclear weapon detonated by India in 1972 though of primitive design, had a yield in the range of 8,000 to 20,000 tons of TNT.

Test site location

Graphic from U.S. Geological Survey showing seismic activity at the time of the apparent test.

The United States Geological Survey reported that a seismic event occurred at 01:35:27 UTC (10:35:27 a.m. local time, UTC+9) on October 9 2006 and measured 4.2 on the Richter scale. It occurred at the geographic coordinates 41°17′38″N 129°08′02″E / 41.294°N 129.134°E / 41.294; 129.134 with an horizontal location uncertainty of +/- 10.5 km. This is 70 km (45 miles) north of Kimchaek, 90 km (55 miles) southwest of Chongjin, 180 km south of Yanji, and 385 km (240 miles) northeast of Pyongyang.[7] According to South Korean government sources, the test was carried out at Hwadae-ri, near the city of Kilchu, in the northeast coast, which would indicate it is near the P'unggye-yok railroad station, a possible underground nuclear test site, at 41°16′39.44″N 129°05′13.22″E / 41.2776222°N 129.0870056°E / 41.2776222; 129.0870056.[8]

International reaction

Asia

  • Cambodia Cambodia: Information Minister Khieu Kanharith has stated that Cambodia opposes North Korea's decision to conduct its first nuclear weapons test and has asked other nations to react diplomatically to the situation. Mr. Kanharith also said the United States should officially declare that it will not invade North Korea.[9]
  • China China: The Chinese Foreign Ministry released an official televised statement, also reported in the official news agency Xinhua, "The DPRK ignored universal opposition of the international community and flagrantly conducted the nuclear test. The Chinese government is resolutely opposed to it."[10][11]
  • India India: The Indian Foreign Ministry said in a statement said that they "are deeply concerned at the reported nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea". The statement also said that India was "monitoring the situation" and in close contact with several unspecified nations over the issue.[12]
  • Japan Japan: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was in Seoul for talks on the nuclear crisis[13], said information still needed to be analyzed to determine whether North Korea truly conducted the test. Kyodo News agency reported that the Japanese government has set up a taskforce in response to reports of the test.[14] Abe would later say the tests were “absolutely unacceptable.” [15]
  • Pakistan Pakistan: No official statement
  • South Korea South Korea: President Roh Moo-hyun has convened an urgent meeting of advisors, according to Yonhap news agency. The South Korean seismic monitoring center has confirmed a 3.58 magnitude tremor at the time of the test.[16] The South Korean military has also since raised its alert level.[17] See also: 2006 South Korean Declaration against North Korean Nuclear Tests
  • Taiwan Republic of China (Taiwan): The Government of the Republic of China has expressed fears that North Korea's nuclear test could trigger an arms race and undermine regional security. Michel Lu, a spokesman with the Foreign ministry said that Taiwan "fears the nuclear test might trigger an arms race and proliferation of nuclear weapons, thus undermining the security and welfare of people in the Northeast Asian region".[18]

Europe

  • France France: French foreign minister Philippe Douste-Blazy has condemned the tests, saying they will potentially endanger the security of the Asian continent. [19]
  • United Kingdom United Kingdom: The Foreign Office released a statement in which the test was described as "a highly provocative act" which would "raise tensions in an already tense region." Prime Minister Tony Blair said it was a "completely irresponsible act". [20]
  • Sweden Sweden: Foreign minister Carl Bildt released a statement saying that the test was a "serious provocation directed at the international community". [21]

North America

Oceania

  • New Zealand New Zealand: Prime Minister Helen Clark in a statement said that, "North Korea should have no illusion of the gravity with which the international community views its action". While Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters described North Korea's actions as "unpardonable and irrational." Peters also stated that "this is a time for cool heads and we urge all parties to refrain from acts which may add to a further deterioration of the situation."[26]

Economic effects

There were negative economic effects as South Korea's Kospi index fell 2.4 percent to 1319.4.[27] The Korea Exchange suspended trading for five minutes upon receiving the news.[28] The yen also fell to a seven-month low against the US dollar while oil on the world market rose above US$60 a barrel. [29]

Several stock markets in Asia from Singapore to Manila have traded in low due to tests.[30]

Analysis

According to Ralph Cossa, president of the Honolulu-based Pacific Forum, he said that countries such as Taiwan could use the North Korea nuke tests as an excuse to defend itself from aggression.[31]

See also

References

  1. ^ "North Korea Says Nuclear Test Successful. 10/09/2006. Associated Press". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  2. ^ "Full text of North Korea announcement". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  3. ^ "North Korea says conducted nuclear test". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  4. ^ "North Korea Says Nuclear Test Successful". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  5. ^ "U.S. Official: North Korea Tested Nuclear Weapon". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  6. ^ "Kelly Kiloton Index of Earthquake Moment Magnitudes". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  7. ^ "Magnitude 4.2 - NORTH KOREA". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  8. ^ "N Korea's nuclear test backlash". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  9. ^ "Cambodia opposes nuclear test". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  10. ^ "Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement (Chinese)". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  11. ^ "China resolutely opposes DPRK's nuclear test, Xinhua News Agency". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  12. ^ "India 'deeply concerned' over test". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  13. ^ "North Korea conducts its first nuclear test". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  14. ^ "North Korea Says Nuclear Test Successful". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  15. ^ "Abe calls test "absolutely unacceptable"". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  16. ^ "North Korea claims nuclear weapons test". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  17. ^ "North Korea Says Nuclear Test Successful". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  18. ^ "Taiwan fears test may trigger arms race". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  19. ^ "North Korean nuclear test seriously endangers security: French FM". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  20. ^ "Reaction to N Korea's test claim". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  21. ^ "Bildt: Medveten och allvarlig provokation". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  22. ^ "U.S. Agencies Looking Into N. Korea Test". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  23. ^ "U.S. Official: North Korea Tested Nuclear Weapon". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  24. ^ "Test follows warning from U.N." Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  25. ^ "PM condemns N Korea nuclear test". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  26. ^ "Test will destabilise region, says NZ PM". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  27. ^ "Seoul stocks tumble after North Korea confirms nuke test". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  28. ^ "N Korea says conducted nuclear test". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  29. ^ "Nth Korea says nuclear test conducted". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  30. ^ "Asian stocks tumble on North Korean nuclear test announcement". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  31. ^ "North Korea nuke test fans fears in Asia". Retrieved 2006-10-09.
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