Just found out about the nuclear test that North Korea did today. There has been a bit of media hype here in australia about the test, and I've put an article below from the News.com.au site about the test and our PM's reaction. I must say that i didn't think that they would actually do the test (if indeed they did) but will be watching closely. The last thing we need now is another armed conflict ...

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Outrage at N Korea nuclear test
October 09, 2006 02:48pm
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JOHN Howard has called for UN sanctions against North Korea, and has proposed trade and travel restrictions as world outrage grows at the Stalinist regime's announcement of a nuclear test today.

"I am advised that there is seismic confirmation that North Korea conducted a nuclear test earlier today," the Prime Minister told Parliament.

"In those circumstances I would condemn, and I would assume I would have the unanimous agreement of the House in doing so, the test in the strongest possible terms."

Mr Howard said North Korea was mistaken if it thought that a nuclear test would improve its bargaining power.

"The test has destabilised the region, it's eroded North Korea's own security," he said.

"A strong international response is called for and Australia will give full support to that response."

Mr Howard said developments with North Korea would be a significant test for the UN.


"This issue represents a great challenge to the United Nations," he said.

"If the United Nations is to come up to scratch on this issue ... it will win great respect and an enhanced reputation, but if the United Nations fails to act effectively against this outrage from North Korea it will represent a further diminution of its authority."

Chinese state TV officially condemned the test, and Japanese PM Shinzo Abe said that the test was a "grave threat" to regional stability.

A South Korean defence ministry official quoted by Yonhap news agency said the test was carried out at Hwadaeri near Kilju on North Korea's northeast coast at 10:36 am (1136 AEST).

There was no immediate official confirmation in the South of the test. But the presidential office said the state intelligence agency had detected a 3.58 magnitude seismic tremor in North Hamgyong Province, where Kilju is located.

The Stalinist state's official news agency made an announcement of the test, which was later confirmed by testing.

"Our science research section has safely and successfully conducted an underground nuclear test on October 9," said the official North Korean news agency, KCNA.

"The nuclear test was conducted by 100 per cent of our wisdom and technology," it said, claiming there was no danger of radioactive leaks.

The People's Republic of China received a 20-minute warning from North Korean officials, which was passed on to the US, Japan and South Korea "immediately," according to officials.

The test is believed to have been conducted in a horizontal tunnel.

It appeared to have been conducted in a 360-metre-high mountain northwest of its Musudanri missile base in Hwadaeri, according to Korean politician Chung Hyong-Keun.

He quoted an intelligence official as saying: "In consideration of the height of the mountain, the test appeared to have been done in a horizontal tunnel."

South Korea's intelligence agency detected a 3.58 magnitude seismic tremor at the time of the test, a foreign ministry spokesman in Seoul said.

But the US Geological Survey has said it has detected no seismic activity that might be expected from a nuclear test within the last 48 hours.

"We haven't seen any activity either seismic or otherwise within the last 48 hours on the Korean peninsula," USGS geologist Rafael Abreu said.

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun immediately called an emergency meeting of security officals because of what the foreign ministry said was "a grave change in the situation involving the North's nuclear activity."

News of the test came as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe landed in Seoul seeking its support for a common line against the reclusive North.

Mr Abe said Japan was yet to confirm the test, but said officials were gathering and analysing information on the situation.

The Japanese Government has announced the formation of an emergency task force, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's "right-hand man," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki present, along with senior government officials at the PM's office.

US intelligence sources were unable to confirm the report, but South Korea's official Yonhap news agency quoted an unnamed official as citing intelligence reports saying the test may have been conducted this morning."President Roh Moo-hyun called in an emergency meeting of related ministers to discuss the North Korean nuclear issue," South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted foreign ministry spokesman Choo Kyu-Ho as saying.

"The Government has received a report that there was a tremor of 3.58 sensed from North Korea's northern Hamkyong province at 10:36am (1136 AEST)," Choo Kyu-Ho said.

North Korea has claimed it will not exercise a nuclear first strike option, but has an advanced missile programme. Questions remain about its ability to arm a missile with a nuclear warhead.

On July 5, North Korea test-fired seven missiles which fell into the sea - including a Taepodong-2 believed to be technically capable of hitting the US.

The Stalinist state has claimed to have banned the transfer of nuclear weapons and technology.

"The ... nuclear weapons will serve as reliable war deterrent for protecting the supreme interests of the state and the security of the Korean nation from the US threat of aggression and averting a new war..." it has said.

North Korea had kept the world guessing for almost 20 years about its progress towards a bomb, declaring only in February 2005 that it possessed nuclear weapons.

The US had said it would press for mandatory UN sanctions after any test, but played down the prospect of a military response - something Seoul has also ruled out.

Analysts had said a test may trigger a regional nuclear arms race and leave international non-proliferation efforts in tatters.

Source: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,20548724-2,00.html