North Korea conducts its fifth nuclear test

Q.  Which country conducted its fifth and largest nuclear test in September 2016?
- Published on 12 Sep 16

a. North Korea
b. South Korea
c. China
d. Japan

ANSWER: North Korea
 
North Korea has conducted its fifth nuclear test on September 9, 2016 setting off a blast more powerful than a bomb triggered in Hiroshima.
  • The warhead can be mounted on a ballistic missile.
  • Its most powerful explosion to date follows a test in January prompting the UN Security Council to impose tightened sanctions that increased North Korea’s isolation but failed to prevent it from accelerating weapons development.
  • Both South Korea and the US have criticised the move
  • China, once a major diplomatic ally of North Korea, said it was opposed to the test and urged Pyongyang to stop taking actions to worsen the situation
  • North Korea which labels the South and the US as its main enemies indicated scientists and technicians carried out nuclear explosion test for judgement of the power of a nuclear warhead as per a report from the official KCNA news agency
  • Claims of being able to miniaturise a nuclear warhead have not been independently verified
  • N.Korea has been testing missiles at an unprecedented rate and the capability to mount a nuclear warhead on a missile is worrisome for neighbouring countries South Korea and Japan.
  • Standardisation of the nuclear warhead will enable DPRK to produce at will and as many as it wants a variety of smaller, lighter and diversified nuclear warheads of higher strike power
  • Japanese Defence Minister Tomomi Inada indicated Pyongyang regime’s advances in mobile ballistic technology posed a massive threat to Japan.
  • North Korea’s nuclear test coincided with the anniversary of the 1948 foundation as a republic
  • The continued testing despite sanctions presents a severe challenge to Obama in the final months of his presidency.
  • It could become a factor in the US Presidential election in November
  • Sanctions have already been imposed on everything possible so the policy is at an impasse
  • Japan’s Abe indicated that a nuclear test could not be tolerated
  • China’s environment ministry began emergency radiation monitoring along its borders with North Korea in NE China according to state television
  • Highest estimates of seismic magnitude indicate this was the most powerful test conducted by N.Korea so far

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