North Korea conducts another nuclear test

Jessica Stiehm
Editor-in-Chief

       On Sept. 9, North Korea conducted its fifth, and largest, nuclear test to date. The force of the blast measured 5.2 on the seismic scale, meaning the bomb rivaled the one dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. In response to this latest test, the U.S dispatched two supersonic B-1B bombers to demonstrate their power against North Korea. They were joined in the flight over South Korea's Osan Air Base accompanied by the country’s own fighters.
         The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) immediately condemned the action as a precursor to “mounting a preemptive nuclear attack”. The KCNA stated, “These extremely reckless provocation of the US imperialist warmongers are pushing the situation on the Korean peninsula to the point of explosion by hour by hour.”

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       South Korea is preparing for the worst, but there is little any country can do without provoking worldwide nuclear warfare. North Korea has been testing nuclear bombs since 2006, but what made this particular test unique is the North Korean claims that the weapon can be mounted on missiles.
       North Korea was initially part of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, but withdrew in 2003, making it difficult to monitor their subsequent nuclear activity. It is important to know the nuclear history of North Korea’s past in order to prepare for the future.