North Korea says it conducted nuclear test

SEOUL – North Korea claimed it carried out a powerful underground nuclear test yesterday – much larger than one conducted in 2006 – in a major provocation in the escalating international stand-off over its rogue nuclear and missile programmes.

Pyongyang announced the test, and Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed an atomic explosion at 09h54 (0054 GMT) in northeastern North Korea, estimating the blast’s yield at 10 to 20 kilotons – comparable to the bombs that flattened Hiroshima and Nagasaki.The regime also test-fired three short-range, ground-to-air missiles later yesterday from the same northeastern site where it launched a rocket last month, the Yonhap news agency reported, citing unnamed sources. The rocket lift-off, widely believed to be a cover for a test of its long-range missile technology, drew censure from the UN Security Council.North Korea, incensed by the condemnation of the April 5 rocket launch, had warned last month that it would restart its rogue nuclear programme, conduct an atomic test and carry out long-range missile tests.Yesterday, the country’s official Korean Central News Agency said the regime ‘successfully conducted one more underground nuclear test on May 25.’President Barack Obama said a nuclear test would constitute an act of ‘blatant defiance’ of the UN Security Council and a violation of international law, and only further isolate North Korea. – Nampa-AP