North Korea said it carried out a second and more powerful nuclear test on Monday, defying international pressure to rein in its nuclear programmes after years of six-nation disarmament talks. The hardline communist state, which stunned the world by testing an atomic bomb for the first time in October 2006, had threatened another test after the UN Security Council censured it following a long-range rocket launch in April. The North "successfully conducted one more underground nuclear test on May 25 as part of the measures to bolster up its nuclear deterrent for self-defence in every way," the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. "The current nuclear test was safely conducted on a new higher level in terms of its explosive power and technology," it said. The United States, Britain, the European Union and others expressed concern about the test, which was confirmed by Russia's defence ministry, according to the ITAR-TASS news agency. "We are gravely concerned by North Korea's claims," a US State Department official said. "We are consulting with our six-party and UN Security Council partners on next steps." South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak convened an emergency National Security Council meeting and both South Korea and Japan announced the formation of government crisis teams. Japan said it would seek an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council, which imposed sanctions on the North for its first test. "It is absolutely unacceptable. Japan will take stern action against North Korea," said Takeo Kawamura, the chief cabinet secretary. The KCNA report did not say where the test was conducted. South Korean officials said a tremor was detected around the northeastern town of Kilju, near where the first was staged. The Korea Meteorological Administration said the tremor measured 4.5 on the Richter Scale conmpared to 3.6 in October 2006. Yonhap news agency said the North also appears to have test-fired a short-range missile Monday from its launch site at Musudan-ri near Kilju. There was no immediate confirmation of that report. China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States have been negotiating since 2003 to persuade the North to abandon its nuclear programmes in exchange for energy and security guarantees.
The negotiations led to an agreement signed in 2007, under which the North said it would dismantle its nuclear facilities. The deal bogged down last December over ways to verify the North's declared nuclear activities. In April the North irked the international community with a long-range rocket launch, a move that many nations said was actually a ballistic missile test. After the Security Council condemned the launch and tightened sanctions, the North vowed to conduct a second nuclear test as well as ballistic missile tests unless the world body apologised. It also announced that it was quitting the six-way talks, which are hosted by its closest ally China, and would restart its plutonium-making programme. Analysts believe the North has stockpiled enough plutonium for six to 12 small nuclear bombs. Its first test was seen as only partially successful, with a yield of less than one kiloton. KCNA said Monday's test had resolved "scientific and technological problems arising in further increasing the power of nuclear weapons and steadily developing nuclear technology." North Korea has frequently said it needs a nuclear deterrent to prevent any attack. It said Monday's test would "contribute to defending the sovereignty of the country and the nation and socialism and ensuring peace and security on the Korean peninsula and the region around it with the might of Songun (the army-first policy)." The North has expressed disappointment at the new US administration of President Barack Obama, calling it no better than its precedessor. "The second test was earlier than expected and reflects the North's growing anger at Washington," said Kim Yong-Hyun of Seoul's Dongguk University. "Or some internal problems may be forcing Pyongyang to take a strong attitude." Leader Kim Jong-Il, 67, was widely reported to have suffered a stroke last August, prompting speculation overseas about the succession. The North's position has noticeably hardened since then. Monday's test was staged while South Korea was in mourning for former president Roh Moo-Hyun, who leapt to his death Saturday after being questioned in a corruption probe. Roh had always championed engagement with the North, and Kim Jong-Il sent condolences to his family.
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