The United Nations
Security Council has unanimously condemned North Korea for carrying
out a powerful underground nuclear test. It appeared paralysed on whether
to impose further sanctions on the communist regime.
The atomic bomb - up to 20 times more powerful than the previous one
detonated by North Korea in 2006 - was comparable with the one that
flattened Hiroshima. It put the world on notice that Pyongyang is accelerating
quickly towards a military nuclear capability. Three short-range missiles
were also tested, prompting South Korea to put its army on alert.
The provocative test sparked global condemnation, even from China, the
reclusive state's only ally. It was clear, however, that the West was
increasingly powerless to halt the nuclear programme.
Meanwhile, President Obama said that the test was a threat to world
peace. Susan Rice, Obama's Ambassador to the UN, conceded that it would
be premature to predict new sanctions. She said that the US would seek
"strong measures". Only France called for fresh sanctions
against Pyongyang.
Obama said that the test was a great threat to the peace and a blatant
violation of international law. Gordon Brown called it erroneous, misguided
and a danger to the world. Ban Ki Moon, the UN Secretary-General and
a South Korean, said that he was deeply disturbed by the detonation,
which was detected by US scientists as a magnitude 4.7 earthquake.
The options to halt Pyongyang's advanced nuclear programme are extremely
limited. A military strike is not possible, given the North's huge conventional
army and close proximity to Japan and South Korea.
China is unlikely to back fresh sanctions. Even Russia spoke only of
"concern". The US has been grappling with the threat of North
Korea's nuclear programme since the early 1990s, but Pyongyang is the
world's most isolated regime and previous measures have done nothing
to stop its pursuit of nuclear weapons.
The test is viewed as the ailing Kim Jong Il's latest attempt to put
pressure on Washington for one-to-one talks. North Korea pulled out
of six-party talks in April after the UN condemned its launch of a long-range
missile.
North Korea is believed to have enough plutonium for at least six atomic
bombs. There is growing concern in Washington that it is hell-bent on
building one and has advanced so far that it is no longer interested
in negotiating away its nuclear technology.