XIAMEN – A five-nation group, BRICS on Monday strongly denounced the latest nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
According to the Xiamen Declaration released at the ninth BRICS summit, “We express deep concern over the ongoing tension and prolonged nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, and emphasize that it should only be settled through peaceful means and direct dialogue of all the parties concerned” .
Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over the BRICS moot in the southeastern Chinese city of Xiamen, while leaders of Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa attended it.
The DPRK on Sunday successfully tested a hydrogen bomb that can be carried by an intercontinental ballistic missile, DPRK’s state TV announced. This was the sixth nuclear test Pyongyang has undertaken since 2006.
The hydrogen bomb test ordered by leader Kim Jong-un was a “perfect success” and was a “meaningful” step in completing the country’s nuclear weapons programme, according to state television.
The announcement came hours after a large earthquake that appeared to be man-made was detected near the North’s known nuclear test site, indicating that the reclusive country had conducted its sixth nuclear test since 2006.
The tremor struck within a kilometre of the site of a magnitude-5.3 “nuclear explosion” from September last year, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
South Korea said this most recent test appeared to be several times stronger than its previous test, estimating the nuclear blast yield was between 50 to 60 kilotons — or five to six times stronger than the North Korea’s fifth test a year ago.
