10-08-2006, 09:51 PM
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Devoloping Story: North Korea claims nuclear test
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Quote:
SEOUL, South Korea (CNN)-- North Korea on Monday claimed it has performed a successful nuclear test, according to that country's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
South Korean government officials also said North Korea performed its first nuclear test, the South's Yonhap news agency reported.
The apparent nuclear test was conducted at 10:36 a.m. (0136 GMT) in Hwaderi near Kilju city, Yonhap reported, citing defense officials.
A senior Pentagon official told CNN late Sunday that he was not aware of any evidence to confirm that North Korea had conducted a successful nuclear test, and suggested that any confirmation would come from the White House.
Additionally, the U.S. Geological Survey's Rafael Abreau said the earthquake-measuring agency has not recorded any seismic activity from North Korea.
However, South Korean intelligence officials said a seismic wave of magnitude-3.58 had been detected in North Hamkyung province, according to Yonhap.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday information still needed to analyzed to determine whether North Korea truly conducted a nuclear test, The Associated Press reports.
High-level South Korean officials were meeting Monday after intelligence of the suspected test was received.
"President Roh Moo-hyun called in an emergency meeting of related ministers on Monday to discuss the North Korean nuclear issue," said Yonhap, quoting Foreign Ministry spokesman Choo Kyu-ho.
"The meeting comes as there has been a grave change in the situation involving the North's nuclear activity."
According to KCNA, there was no radioactive leakage from the site.
On Friday, the U.N. Security Council warned North Korea against performing a nuclear test, citing unspecified action if it should do so.
It also called on North Korea to return immediately to the six-party talks with China, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the United States.
Citing American belligerence and pressure, North Korea said Tuesday that a nuclear test was in the works. A date and time for the test was not given.
The report of the test came as Japan's new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived in Seoul for meetings with President Roh Moo-hyun to address the nuclear issue as well as address strains in relations between the two countries over territorial and historical disputes.
North Korea accused rival South Korea on Monday of committing a serious provocation by firing warning shots during a weekend incident in which the South says soldiers from the communist North crossed over their border.
The border shooting came Saturday. South Korean soldiers rattled off about 40 warning shots after a group of five North Korean troops crossed into the southern side of the no-man's-land separating the divided Korean peninsula, South Korea said.
No one was hurt in the incident.
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what are they going to do next
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