There are unconfirmed reports of a nuclear weapons test conducted by North Korea at 1.30am GMT today (Wednesday) at Punggye-ri, in the east of the country.
CND strongly condemns Pyongyang’s claim to have detonated a “miniature hydrogen bomb”. Such tests are highly provocative and threaten a race towards nuclear proliferation.
Pyongyang’s assertion that it was an act of “self-defence against the US having numerous and humongous nuclear weapons” is a stark reminder that nuclear weapons do not uphold international security and stability, but actually intensify political conflicts with potentially disastrous consequences.
Assessing the facts
The United States Geological Survey measured a seismic event at a magnitude of 5.1, but Reuters reports that South Korea’s meteorological agency doubts the claim made by Pyongyang because it did not detect the radiation associated with such tests. The Guardian reported that the former head of the Australian Nuclear Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office, John Carlson, questions Pyongyang’s declaration because it would require expertise that poses a “major challenge” for North Korea.
But whether confirmed or not, the response of the international community must be a redoubling of diplomatic efforts towards disarmament. The nuclear weapons of all countries pose a grave danger to the lives of innocent people across the world. The example of the Iran nuclear deal continues to shine a light towards a safer and more peaceful world without nuclear weapons.