North Korea tests nuclear weapon 'as powerful as Hiroshima bomb'

Country risks further international isolation as underground nuclear explosion triggers earthquake

Justin McCurry in Tokyo and Tania Branigan in Beijing

guardian.co.uk, Monday 25 May 2009

(Cartoon by Steve Bell)

"......The test comes less than two months after the North enraged the US and its allies by test firing a long-range ballistic missile.

The KNCA news agency, the regime's official mouthpiece, said: "We have successfully conducted another nuclear test on 25 May as part of the republic's measures to strengthen its nuclear deterrent."

Officials in South Korea said they had detected a tremor consistent with those caused by an underground nuclear explosion. The country's Yonhap news agency reported that the North had test fired three short-range missiles immediately after the nuclear test from a base on the east coast.

The underground atomic explosion, at 9.54am local time, created an earthquake measuring magnitude 4.5 in Kilju county in the country's north-east, reports said.

President Barack Obama called the test a matter of grave concern [Yes! North Korea Can, Mr. President!]....."