GAME CHANGER: North Korea Successfully Tests Nuclear Bomb

North Korea Moves Missile Able To Strike The US Toward The Coast
http://dailycaller.com/2017/09/05/north-korea-moves-missile-able-to-strike-the-us-toward-the-coast/
RYAN PICKRELL
China/Asia Pacific Reporter
10:30 AM 09/05/2017
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A North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile is moving toward the coast, according to South Korea’s spy agency.

Days after North Korea’s sixth and most powerful nuclear test, which possibly involved a staged thermonuclear device, the South Korean National Intelligence Service discovered that North Korea is moving its new Hwasong-14 ICBM, a weapon tested twice successfully in July, reports Asia Economy.

The North is moving the missile primarily at night to avoid regular detection.

North Korea revealed images of a new warhead for its ICBM Sunday, and a few hours later, the North tested an advanced nuclear device, presumably the warhead, given that the prior revelation enhances North Korea’s credibility. North Korea claims that it tested a hydrogen bomb. The explosive power of North Korea’s newest nuclear device is unclear, as estimates from various observers range from 50 to 150 kilotons.

South Korean intelligence suspects that North Korea will launch an ICBM over Japan into the Pacific Ocean to test its performance when fired on a minimum energy trajectory. Such a test would allow North Korea to observe how the weapon might perform in combat.

Such a provocative test would follow a launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile over Japan last week. The limited reaction to this aggressive test and the lack of consequences may encourage North Korea to launch more missiles into the Pacific Ocean, as the rogue regime already said it plans to do.

North Korea appears to be setting a precedent for a more provocative testing pattern.

Under Kim Jong Un’s leadership, the North has advanced its ballistic missile program at an accelerated rate, moving the country closer to the development of a viable nuclear deterrent against the U.S. and its allies.

North Korea could ‘wipe out’ US economy by firing EMP into atmosphere
Sep 4, 2017 | 0 |
North Korea could ‘wipe out’ US economy by firing EMP into atmosphere
North Korea is poised to deliver a devastating blow to the United States economy with a series of high-tech electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attacks, which would plunge the world into chaos, claims the BBC’s foreign affairs editor. North Korea has long boasted about its ability to bring down the United State’s financial systems and transport networks with a series of EMP attacks.
Politicians in the US are said to be alarmed by the growing threat of a high-altitude nuclear blast and the resulting electromagnetic pulse. An EMP attack would fry the circuitry of mobile phones and wipe out online banking, food resources and the USA’s financial systems, resulting in a global financial crash, claimed Simpson.
READ MORE http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/849757/North-Korea-news-Kim-Jong-un-EMP-attack-devastate-United-States-economy-warning

DEVELOPING: North Korea Preparing Another Ballistic Missile Test
Sep 4, 2017 | 0 |
DEVELOPING: North Korea Preparing Another Ballistic Missile Test
One day after its latest nuclear test, North Korea appears to be making preparations to launch a ballistic missile, a South Korean official said Monday. South Korea’s military has observed the preparations for a North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile test, Chang Kyung-soo, a South Korean Defense Ministry
official, told lawmakers, The Associated Press reported. On Sunday, North Korea carried out its sixth nuclear test, its most powerful by far. The underground blast triggered a magnitude 6.3 tremor centered at the testing site in the country’s northeast, the United States Geological Survey said. It was followed by a weaker tremor believed to have been the result of a collapse in the testing site.
READ MORE https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/04/world/asia/north-korea-missile-test.html



DEVELOPING: North Korea Seen Moving ICBM-Grade Rocket Towards Coast
Sep 5, 2017 | 0 |
DEVELOPING: North Korea Seen Moving ICBM-Grade Rocket Towards Coast
North Korea has been observed moving what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) towards its west coast, South Korea’s Asia Business Daily reported on Tuesday, citing an unidentified intelligence source. The rocket started moving on Monday, a day after North Korea’s sixth nuclear test,

and was spotted moving at night to avoid surveillance, the report said. North Korea has launch facilities for its missile program on its west coast. South Korea’s defense ministry said they were unable to confirm the contents of the report. The ministry said in parliament on Monday that North Korea was considered ready to launch more missiles, including ICBMs, at any time. CONTINUE http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Report-North-Korea-seen-moving-ICBM-grade-rocket-towards-coast-504236

REPORT: NORTH KOREA SEEN MOVING ICBM-GRADE ROCKET TOWARDS COAST
BYREUTERS SEPTEMBER 5, 2017 05:49
BREAKING
SEOUL - North Korea has been observed moving what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) towards its west coast, South Korea's Asia Business Daily reported on Tuesday, citing an unidentified intelligence source.

The rocket started moving on Monday, a day after North Korea's sixth nuclear test, and was spotted moving at night to avoid surveillance, the report said. North Korea has launch facilities for its missile program on its west coast.

South Korea's defense ministry said they were unable to confirm the contents of the report. The ministry said in parliament on Monday that North Korea was considered ready to launch more missiles, including ICBMs, at any time.


Japan Prepares for Mass Evacuation of 60,000 Citizens From South Korea
Sep 5, 2017 | 0 |
Japan Prepares for Mass Evacuation of 60,000 Citizens From South Korea
As tensions on the Korean Peninsula reach new heights with Pyongyang’s latest nuclear test, Japan is planning for a possible mass evacuation of the nearly 60,000 Japanese citizens currently living in or visiting South Korea. “There is a possibility of further provocations,” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said at a Monday meeting with ruling coalition lawmakers. “We need to remain extremely vigilant
and do everything we can to ensure the safety of our people.” In response to North Korea’s sixth nuclear test, Japan and the U.S. seek to ratchet up economic pressure on the rogue state through an oil embargo and other measures. But U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis on Sunday also said any threat to the U.S. or its allies “will be met with a massive military response — READ MORE https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Pyongyang-provocation/North-Korea-threat-prompts-Japan-evacuation-

preparations
September 5, 2017 4:43 am JST
North Korea threat prompts Japan evacuation preparations
Tokyo mulls how to bring thousands of South Korea-based nationals to safety

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government is reaching out to South Korea and the U.S. for cooperation in the event of an evacuation or shelter-in-place scenario.
TOKYO -- As tensions on the Korean Peninsula reach new heights with Pyongyang's latest nuclear test, Japan is planning for a possible mass evacuation of the nearly 60,000 Japanese citizens currently living in or visiting South Korea.

"There is a possibility of further provocations," Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said at a Monday meeting with ruling coalition lawmakers. "We need to remain extremely vigilant and do everything we can to ensure the safety of our people."

In response to North Korea's sixth nuclear test, Japan and the U.S. seek to ratchet up economic pressure on the rogue state through an oil embargo and other measures. But U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis on Sunday also said any threat to the U.S. or its allies "will be met with a massive military response -- a response both effective and overwhelming."

Four-step plan

There are currently about 38,000 long-term Japanese residents in South Korea, as well as another 19,000 or so tourists and other short-term travelers. "If the U.S. decided on a military strike against the North, the Japanese government would start moving toward an evacuation on its own accord regardless of whether the American plans are public," a Japanese government source said.

Tokyo is working on a four-tier emergency plan based on the severity of the situation: discouraging unessential travel to South Korea, discouraging all travel to South Korea, urging Japanese citizens there to evacuate, and finally, urging them to shelter in place.

Should skirmishes erupt between the two Koreas, for example, the Japanese government would discourage all new travel to South Korea. At the same time, it would urge citizens already there to evacuate using commercial flights. Although the Japanese Embassy would help secure airline reservations, the government's role under this scenario would mainly be to provide information.

But Japan would need to coordinate with South Korean authorities under a shelter-in-place scenario. If Pyongyang launched a major military attack that leads to the closure of South Korean airports, the Japanese embassy would urge citizens still in the country to stay at home, or move to a safer area within the South.

Seoul has agreed to give Japanese citizens access to safe zones, such as designated subway stations, churches and shopping malls, according to a Japanese source. The Japanese government has already provided its citizens in South Korea with information on over 900 such facilities.
Bringing them home

UK Conducts Super-Sonic Weapons Tests
Sep 4, 2017 | 0 |
UK Conducts Super-Sonic Weapons Tests
The Royal Navy has tested its newest air defense missiles which can destroy enemy bombs at supersonic speeds – as tensions with Kim Jong-un’s North Korea continue to escalate. Dramatic images show the Sea Ceptor missiles being fired from HMS Argyll off the coast of Scotland as preparations are made to
dispatch the missiles to Japan. It comes as North Korea escalated threats of missile strikes against America and South Korea by testing a hydrogen bomb at the weekend. The crackpot dictatorship created a 6.3-magnitude earthquake and experts fear hundreds of thousands of people would be killed if it was targeted at a major city.
READ MORE https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4390472/royal-navy-fires-mach-3-missile-scottish-coast/

BRITISH SEA POWERRoyal Navy tests new missiles which can destroy enemy bombs at supersonic speeds from Japan-bound ship amid growing global tensions
The missiles can travel three times the speed of sound and defence chiefs say they will 'protect us against the unknown'
By Alice Johnston
4th September 2017, 9:36 pmUpdated: 5th September 2017, 10:24 am
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THE Royal Navy has tested its newest air defence missiles which can destroy enemy bombs at supersonic speeds - as tensions with Kim Jong-un's North Korea continue to escalate.

Dramatic images show the Sea Ceptor missiles being fired from HMS Argyll off the coast of Scotland as preparations are made to dispatch the missiles to Japan.

The air defence missiles are being introduced amid growing global tensionsPA:PRESS ASSOCIATION
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The air defence missiles are being introduced amid growing global tensions
The missiles were tested off the coast of ScotlandPA:PRESS ASSOCIATION
7
The missiles were tested off the coast of Scotland
WATCH
Minister Harriet Baldwin watched footage of the successful test
It comes as North Korea escalated threats of missile strikes against America and South Korea by testing a hydrogen bomb at the weekend.
The crackpot dictatorship created a 6.3-magnitude earthquake and experts fear hundreds of thousands of people would be killed if it was targeted at a major city.

The Navy's new air defence system is designed to intercept and destroy enemy missiles travelling at supersonic speeds and will form part of the protection for new aircraft carriers.
The system uses a missile capable of reaching speeds of up to Mach 3, which is three times the speed of sound.
It will be able to deal with multiple targets at the same time, protecting an area of around 500 square miles over land or sea.
The missiles are said to provide "complete protection against all known and projected air targets".


Israel Holds Largest Exercise In 20 Years To Prepare For Imminent Hezbollah Threat
Sep 4, 2017 | 1 |
Israel Holds Largest Exercise In 20 Years To Prepare For Imminent Hezbollah Threat
Amid rising tensions on Israel’s northern border, the IDF will be launching Monday evening its largest drill in close to 20 years, with tens of thousands of soldiers from all branches of the army simulating a war with Hezbollah. The drill is unique and unprecedented in scope, the army has affirmed, and it will enable forces to maintain a high level of readiness in an ever-changing region.According to military assessments, while it is unlikely that Hezbollah attack Israel in the near future, the northern border
remains the most explosive and both sides have warned that the next conflict between the two would be devastating. The IDF is preparing itself for a different kind of war on the northern front. According to the military, while the drill itself is set to focus only on the border with Lebanon, a potential future altercation would not be contained only in the part of the border and would spread to the entirety of the northern border.
READ MORE http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/IDF-holds-largest-exercise-in-20-years-to-fend-off-Hezbollah-threat-504188

North Korea could ‘wipe out’ US economy by firing EMP into atmosphere
Sep 4, 2017 | 0 |
North Korea could ‘wipe out’ US economy by firing EMP into atmosphere
North Korea is poised to deliver a devastating blow to the United States economy with a series of high-tech electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attacks, which would plunge the world into chaos, claims the BBC’s foreign affairs editor. North Korea has long boasted about its ability to bring down the United State’s financial systems and transport networks with a series of EMP attacks.

Politicians in the US are said to be alarmed by the growing threat of a high-altitude nuclear blast and the resulting electromagnetic pulse. An EMP attack would fry the circuitry of mobile phones and wipe out online banking, food resources and the USA’s financial systems, resulting in a global financial crash, claimed Simpson.
READ MORE http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/849757/North-Korea-news-Kim-Jong-un-EMP-attack-devastate-United-States-economy-warning

North Korea could 'wipe out' US economy by firing electromagnetic pulse into atmosphere

NORTH KOREA is poised to deliver a devastating blow to the United States economy with a series of high-tech electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attacks, which would plunge the world into chaos, claims the BBC’s foreign affairs editor.

By JOE BARNES
PUBLISHED: 10:48, Mon, Sep 4, 2017 | UPDATED: 11:53, Mon, Sep 4, 2017





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Expert: EMP attack by North Korea could devastate world economy
North Korea has long boasted about its ability to bring down the United State’s financial systems and transport networks with a series of EMP attacks.

Politicians in the US are said to be alarmed by the growing threat of a high-altitude nuclear blast and the resulting electromagnetic pulse.

An EMP attack would fry the circuitry of mobile phones and wipe out online banking, food resources and the USA’s financial systems, resulting in a global financial crash, claimed Simpson.

The blast of electromagnetic energy also has the ability to take down aeroplanes in flight and cause trains to stop in their tracks.

North Korea news EMP attack US economyGETTY
North Korea news: Kim Jong-un EMP attack could devastate the US economy
The whole world would suffer if there was a major breakdown of the United States
John Simpson
Speaking to BBC’s Radio 5 Live, Simpson said: “One of the things that the North Koreans have been boasting about an electromagnetic pulse (EMP), which means firing a nuclear weapon up into the atmosphere and devastating the electrical grid of a country and all of its infrastructure.

“If something like that were to happen, I don’t think it is at all likely, but when North Korea is boasting about it, then, of course, the whole world would suffer if there was a major breakdown of the United States, China or somewhere else – that would be absolutely devastating to the world economy.

“There are serious dangers to the world economy, and I think this is why the Chinese are showing such signs of nervousness at the moment because they think that the world economy could be devastated if anything goes wrong at all.”

North Korea has previously claimed it had two satellites in an “ideal altitude” to launch such an attack against the USA.

Mattis warns 'total annihilation' of North Korea is just one option
Play Video
Amid fears of an impending attack from North Korea’s despot leader Kim Jong-un, Donald Trump has refused to rule out military action against the rogue state.

The US Presdient left all options on the table when he was asked if he would react with military force to North Korea’s latest weapons test, telling reporters: “We’ll see.”

However, his Secretary of Defence, General James Mattis was more direct in his threats of military action as he refused to rule out a devastating end to the Kim regime through the USA’s “many military options”.

General Mattis said: “Our commitment among the allies are ironclad. Any threat to the United States or its territories, including Guam, or our allies will be met with a massive military response, a response both effective and overwhelming.
North Korea has carried out a series of missile tests amid World War 3 fears
“We are not looking to the total annihilation of a country, namely North Korea, but as I said we have many options to do so.”

The USA has assembled an impressive arsenal, which includes a sophisticated anti-missile system, as it looks to intimidate the Kim regime.

The Terminal High-Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system, despite criticism from Pyongyang, is ready and waiting to intercept missiles and destroy incoming projectiles while they are in mid-flight.

South Korea’s Government has released details, revealing it will roll out four more US-designed THAAD systems after the Kim regime’s latest nuclear test.

North Korea conducts 'perfect' hydrogen bomb test
Sun, September 3, 2017
North Korea conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test, which it said was a successful detonation of an advanced hydrogen bomb
PLAY SLIDESHOW
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un provides guidance on a nuclear weapons program in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency REUTERS
1 of 9
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un provides guidance on a nuclear weapons program in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un provides guidance on a nuclear weapons program in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un provides guidance on a nuclear weapons program in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency
Location of a 6.3 magnitude earthquake that hit some 24km East-Northeast of Sungjibaegam, North Korea
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks to media after reports on a suspected nuclear test by North Korea, at his official residence in Tokyo
Seismic waves taking place in North Korea on a screen at the Korea Meteorological Administration center
Pedestrians walk past a television screen broadcasting a television news programme on a possible North Korean nuclear test in Tokyo
Seismic waves taking place in North Korea on a screen at the Korea Meteorological Administration center
The last four of six THAAD batteries will become fully operational after the environment ministry gave consent to install the weapons in Seongju, a rural village in South Korea where the two other batteries are in operation.

South Korea and the US agreed in 2016 to install the missile defence system to counter the growing threat from North Korea’s missile programme.

The country’s defence ministry also said it was in discussions with Donald Trump over the deployment of a US aircraft carrier and strategic bombers to the Korean Peninsula amid World War 3 threats.

“We will push the option of deploying strategic assets such as the US carrier strike group and strategic bombers after the consultation with the US,” the defence ministry said.

DEVELOPING: North Korea Preparing Another Ballistic Missile Test
Sep 4, 2017 | 0 |
DEVELOPING: North Korea Preparing Another Ballistic Missile Test
One day after its latest nuclear test, North Korea appears to be making preparations to launch a ballistic missile, a South Korean official said Monday. South Korea’s military has observed the preparations for a North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile test, Chang Kyung-soo, a South Korean Defense Ministry

official, told lawmakers, The Associated Press reported. On Sunday, North Korea carried out its sixth nuclear test, its most powerful by far. The underground blast triggered a magnitude 6.3 tremor centered at the testing site in the country’s northeast, the United States Geological Survey said. It was followed by a weaker tremor believed to have been the result of a collapse in the testing site.
READ MORE https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/04/world/asia/north-korea-missile-test.html

North Korea Is Said to Be Readying Ballistic Missile Test
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By AUSTIN RAMZYSEPT. 4, 2017
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Seismic waves registered on a screen at the Korea Meteorological Administration in Seoul on Sunday. The tremors were caused by North Korea’s sixth nuclear test, its most powerful by far. Credit Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images
HONG KONG — One day after its latest nuclear test, North Korea appears to be making preparations to launch a ballistic missile, a South Korean official said Monday.

South Korea’s military has observed the preparations for a North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile test, Chang Kyung-soo, a South Korean Defense Ministry official, told lawmakers, The Associated Press reported.

On Sunday, North Korea carried out its sixth nuclear test, its most powerful by far. The underground blast triggered a magnitude 6.3 tremor centered at the testing site in the country’s northeast, the United States Geological Survey said. It was followed by a weaker tremor believed to have been the result of a collapse in the testing site.

The nuclear test followed threats against the American territory of Guam and weeks of missile tests, including launches demonstrating that North Korea had the capability to reach much of the United States.

The South Korean military carried out drills Monday in response to the test, with F-15K fighter jets and ground forces firing missiles in a simulated attack on the North’s nuclear site.

Continue reading the main story
RELATED COVERAGE


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Meet Kim Jong-un, a Moody Young Man With a Nuclear Arsenal AUG. 10, 2017
The South Korean defense minister, Song Young-moo, also said Monday that in recent talks he had asked the United States to deploy strategic assets including an aircraft carrier group and bombers, according to Yonhap, the South Korean news agency.

It was not immediately clear what sort of missile North Korea was preparing for a possible test. It first tested its new Hwasong-14 missile on July 4 and again on July 28. The second test showed the missile had a range of about 6,500 miles, which would put the western and central United States within range.

News of preparations for a possible missile test came as the South Korean Defense Ministry said the United States military would soon add four additional launchers for a missile defense system deployed in the country’s south, Yonhap reported.

The financial markets in Asia ticked downward slightly on Monday following the test, with the Nikkei 225 index in Japan dropping about 1 percent at the start of trading and staying near that level before closing down about 0.9 percent. The SSEC index in China closed up about 0.4 percent.

The main index of the South Korean financial markets, the Kospi 200, dropped about 1.2 percent. Gold, meanwhile, rose to its highest price in 10 months, topping $1,337 by late afternoon in Asia. Japanese government bonds, another asset considered safe, registered lower yields as investors bought in.

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Experts were still trying to determine whether the explosion Sunday was, as North Korea claimed, caused by a hydrogen bomb. But the blast was clearly North Korea’s strongest, and it was estimated to be as much as 16 times more powerful than the North’s previous test.

Hours before the test on Sunday, North Korea published photos of what it said was a hydrogen bomb capable of fitting on top of a intercontinental ballistic missile.

President Trump said on Twitter that the test was an “embarrassment” to China, the North’s biggest ally and trade partner, and he criticized South Korea, an American ally, which he accused of “talk of appeasement.”

The office of South Korea’s president, Moon Jae-in, responded that it was working to exert “maximum sanctions and pressure” on the North and reiterated that its goal was “peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”

Mr. Trump also said the United States was considering barring trade with any country doing business with North Korea. If actually carried out, such a ban would bring an end to trade between the world’s largest economy, the United States, and the second largest, China. But analysts said the threat was meant as a warning to China to further curb its trade with North Korea, including selling it oil.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said that “any threat to the United States or its territories, including Guam or our allies, will be met with a massive military response.” He added that the United States was “not looking to the total annihilation” of North Korea but that it had “many options to do so.”

South Korea’s Ministry of the Environment was also expected to give its approval Monday for the full deployment of a missile defense system operated by the United States, Yonhap reported, citing unidentified sources.

Installation of the system, known as Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or Thaad, has been protested by residents of Seongju, the county in southern South Korea where it is based. And consumers in China, which fears the system’s radar will be used to monitor its territory and provoke a regional arms race, have boycotted products from South Korea in recent months over plans to deploy the antimissile system.

Also on Monday, Yonhap reported that the South Korean city of Incheon was canceling plans for a military re-enactment of the Sept. 15, 1950, landing there of American and allied forces led by Gen. Douglas MacArthur, which helped turn the tide of the Korean War. The event was called off because of the burden it would put on military forces during the current tensions, officials said.

Secretary Of Defense James Mattis Warns North Korea Of ‘Massive Military Response’
http://conservativefighters.com/news/secretary-defense-james-mattis-warns-north-korea-massive-military-response/
North Korea just did another test on the most powerful nuclear bomb and produced an earthquake 10 times stronger than the last one. As it appears Kim Jong Un has forgotten whom is dealing with.

On Sunday, Secretary of Defense James Mattis issued a statement saying, “Any threat to the United States or its territories including Guam or our allies will be met with a massive military response.”

Mattis isn’t a person who talks to the public very often, and he doesn’t threaten other leaders, that is why Kim Jong Un should take this seriously. Mattis’ message it’s not a joke, he will destroy North Korea and its dictator if they test another nuclear bomb.

Here is his press:
Mattis Holds EMERGENCY Press Conference on North Korea H-Bomb Test 9/3/17
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcfiwCZSxFA

Mattis Warns “US will launch massive military response to North Korea threats”
Sep 3, 2017 | 0 |
Mattis Warns “US will launch massive military response to North Korea threats”
The United States will launch a “massive military response” to threats from North Korea, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis said Sunday. He spoke after President Donald Trump met with his national security advisers following a test of what Pyongyang said was a hydrogen bomb able to fit atop a missile. “Any threat to the United States or its territories, including Guam, or our allies will be met with a massive

military response, a response both effective and overwhelming,” Mattis said. He added: “Kim Jong-Un should take heed of the United Nations Security Council’s unified voice. All members unanimously agreed on the threat North Korea poses and remain unanimous in their commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
READ MORE https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-launch-massive-military-response-nkorea-threats-mattis-195826168.html
US will launch 'massive military response' to NKorea threats: Mattis
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis (L) speaks to the press with General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, about the situation in North Korea at the White House on September 3, 2017 (AFP Photo/NICHOLAS KAMM)
More
Washington (AFP) - The United States will launch a "massive military response" to threats from North Korea, Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis said Sunday.

He spoke after President Donald Trump met with his national security advisers following a test of what Pyongyang said was a hydrogen bomb able to fit atop a missile.

"Any threat to the United States or its territories, including Guam, or our allies will be met with a massive military response, a response both effective and overwhelming," Mattis said.

He added: "Kim Jong-Un should take heed of the United Nations Security Council's unified voice. All members unanimously agreed on the threat North Korea poses and remain unanimous in their commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available on iOS and Android.

"We are not looking to the total annihilation of a country, namely North Korea, but as I said, we have many options to do so."

His comments came after Trump warned the time for "appeasement" was over and threatened drastic economic sanctions.

The unexpectedly powerful test Sunday was said to exceed in magnitude the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan -- the resultant shock caused momentary panic in parts of China -- and Trump slammed it as "very hostile and dangerous to the United States."

Donald Trump REFUSES to rule out attack on North Korea as Kim Jong-un warns US it ‘would not escape from the greatest disaster’ following nuke test
Sep 3, 2017 | 0 |
Donald Trump REFUSES to rule out attack on North Korea as Kim Jong-un warns US it ‘would not escape from the greatest disaster’ following nuke test
Donald Trump has refused to rule out an attack on North Korea as Kim Jong-un warned the US “would not escape from the greatest disaster” after the rogue nation detonated its sixth nuclear bomb. The test triggered a 6.3-magnitude artificial quake – ten times larger than any of North Korea’s previous attempts. The test was seen as a direct challenge to Trump, who has vowed to stop North Korea developing nuclear
weapons that could threaten the United States. State media has now issued a “severe warning” to America. The Korean Central News Agency said: “If the US imperialists awkwardly provoke the DPRK, they would not be able to escape from the greatest disaster.” When questioned if he would attack North Korea, Trump said: “We’ll see”.
READ MORE https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4379935/donald-trump-north-korea-attack-kim-jong-un-nuclear-test/
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4379935/donald-trump-north-korea-attack-kim-jong-un-nuclear-test/

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/4379935/donald-trump-north-korea-attack-kim-jong-un-nuclear-test/
'HOSTILE AND DANGEROUS'Donald Trump REFUSES to rule out attack on North Korea as Kim Jong-un warns US it ‘would not escape from the greatest disaster’ following nuke test
North Korea also claims its has a 'thermonuclear' warhead it can fit to missiles that is roughly as powerful as the UK's Trident system
By John Shammas
3rd September 2017, 5:30 pmUpdated: 3rd September 2017, 6:31 pm
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COMMENTS
DONALD Trump has refused to rule out an attack on North Korea as Kim Jong-un warned the US "would not escape from the greatest disaster" after the rogue nation detonated its sixth nuclear bomb.

The test triggered an 6.3-magnitude artificial quake - ten times larger than any of North Korea's previous attempts.

Kim Jong-un has warned the US "would not escape from the greatest disaster" after the rogue nation detonated its sixth nuclear bombEPA
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Kim Jong-un has warned the US "would not escape from the greatest disaster" after the rogue nation detonated its sixth nuclear bomb
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un 'provides guidance' on a nuclear weapons programmeREUTERS
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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un 'provides guidance' on a nuclear weapons programme

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The inspection was carried out alongside Kim's key advisersREUTERS
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The inspection was carried out alongside Kim's key advisers
Donald Trump said the words and actions of North Korea were 'hostile and dangerous' to the USAFP OR LICENSORS
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Donald Trump said the words and actions of North Korea were 'hostile and dangerous' to the US
The test was seen as a direct challenge to Trump, who has vowed to stop North Korea developing nuclear weapons that could threaten the United States.

State media has now issued a "severe warning" to America.

The Korean Central News Agency said: "If the US imperialists awkwardly provoke the DPRK, they would not be able to escape from the greatest disaster."

When questioned if he would attack North Korea, Trump said: "We'll see".

The president also tweeted to say that the US was considering cutting economic ties with any countries that do business with North Korea.

While the US has virtually no trade with the North, the burden of sanctions as described by Trump would fall heavily on China, which buys about 90 per cent of North Korean exports.

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North Korea has conducted a major Nuclear Test. Their words and actions continue to be very hostile and dangerous to the United States.....
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..North Korea is a rogue nation which has become a great threat and embarrassment to China, which is trying to help but with little success.
12:39 PM - Sep 3, 2017
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South Korea is finding, as I have told them, that their talk of appeasement with North Korea will not work, they only understand one thing!
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Hours after the test, US President took to Twitter, writing: "North Korea has conducted a major Nuclear Test. Their words and actions continue to be very hostile and dangerous to the United States.

"North Korea is a rogue nation which has become a great threat and embarrassment to China, which is trying to help but with little success."

He then added: "South Korea is finding, as I have told them, that their talk of appeasement with North Korea will not work, they only understand one thing!"

North Korea this morning confirmed on state media they had conducted a hydrogen bomb test, saying it was a "perfect success", and adding the H-bomb can be loaded onto an intercontinental missile.

World leaders have been quick to condemn North Korea's test, calling on the United Nations Security Council to react to the violation.

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News bulletins in South Korea ​announce ​​'man made​ earthquake​'​ in North Korea
North Korea confirmed on state TV they had successfully conducted a hydrogen bomb test
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North Korea confirmed on state TV they had successfully conducted a hydrogen bomb test
Japan Meteorological Agency's earthquake and tsunami observations division director Toshiyuki Matsumori speaks next to a monitor showing graphs of ground motion waveform data observed in JapanREUTERS
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Japan Meteorological Agency's earthquake and tsunami observations division director Toshiyuki Matsumori speaks next to a monitor showing graphs of ground motion waveform data observed in Japan
The test launch of a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile in Pyongyang, North KoreaAP:ASSOCIATED PRESS
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The test launch of a Hwasong-12 intermediate range missile in Pyongyang, North Korea
South Korean President Moon Jae-In has called for the "strongest punishment" against North Korea.

Presidential security adviser Chung Eui-Yong said after an emergency National Security Council meeting that Moon had called for "all diplomatic measures including UNSC sanctions resolutions to completely isolate North Korea".

French President Emmanuel Macron urged the United Nations Security Council to react quickly and decisively.

He said: "The international community must treat this new provocation with the utmost firmness, in order to bring North Korea to come back unconditionally to the path of dialogue and to proceed to the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantling of its nuclear and ballistic programme."

China, the only North Korean ally that is a permanent member of the Security Council, urged its neighbour to stop "wrong" actions that worsen the situation.

It said it would fully enforce UN resolutions on the country.

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​​A​n '​artificial​' earthquake has been recorded near a missile testing site in North Korea

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​North Korean state media confirms nuclear weapons test​

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Boris Johnson condemns 'reckless' North Korean nuclear test
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said called the test "reckless", saying: "It's our view in the UK overwhelmingly that peaceful diplomatic solutions are best. We really don't see an easy military solution - the distance between North Korea and Seoul is very small.

"Much more productive is to continue the international diplomatic effort.

"What the Chinese always say is there's a kind of equivalence between the South Korean/US exercises and nuclear exercises carried out by North Korea. We don't accept that.

"Our message to the Chinese is that we think there's more scope for you to put economic pressure on the North Koreans."

The Russian foreign ministry called for calm, saying: "In the emerging conditions it is absolutely essential to keep cool, refrain from any actions that could lead to a further escalation of tensions."

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also condemned the "flagrant defiance" of the United Nations Security Council resolution, saying: "North Korea's reckless conduct poses a grave danger to global peace and security."

The Korea Meteorological Administration initially reported "an artificial tremor" at 12:36 p.m local time in the North Hamgyeong Province, from a site used for nuclear testing by the North Korean regime.

The US Geological Survey and Chinese authorities both confirmed the tremor, with South Korea's weather agency later revising the artificial quake to 5.7-magnitude.

North Korea's previous nuclear tests caused tremors just over 5 on the Richter scale - one tenth the magnitude of the current test - suggesting the device being tested this time was significantly more powerful.

Hours before the tremor Kim Jong-un was pictured inspecting nuclear weapons, and North Korea released a statement saying he had seen a new "thermonuclear" warhead being loaded onto an ICBM.

The country bragged the new weapons had "great destructive power" and have a yield that is adjustable from "tens to hundreds of kilotons" and can be detonated at high altitudes.

That would put it in the same bracket as missiles currently in use by the UK and US, though significantly less than US missiles had at their peak before weapons-reduction treaties with Russia dramatically reduced payloads.

What's the difference between a hydrogen bomb and an atomic bomb?
Atomic bombs These weapons get their energy from a nuclear fission reaction.The bomb works by splitting the atoms into smaller ones.This action creates the huge release of energy.They generally using plutonium and uraniam.These bombs were used in the World War II attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.Hydrogen bombsAlso known as h-bombs, these weapons derive their energy from nuclear fusion reactions.The bomb creates a reaction between isotypes.They are about 1000 times more powerful than atomic bombs.
Kim's regime has also boasted that it can build as many nuclear weapons as it wants.

North Korea sharply increased regional tension this week with the launch of its Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile that flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific.

Japanese PM Shinzo Abe said that if the country had indeed tested a nuclear device this would be "absolutely unacceptable".

The country lodged an official protest through North Korea's embassy in Beijing.

The state was reported to have been working to develop a nuclear-tipped missile capable of hitting the United States and has recently threatened to land missiles near the US Pacific territory of Guam.

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Japan Prime ​Minister Shinzo Abe​ calls possible North Korean nuclear
AFP OR LICENSORS
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A man walks past a TV news on screen reporting North Korea's a possible nuclear testAP:ASSOCIATED PRESS
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A man walks past a TV news on screen reporting North Korea's a possible nuclear test
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attends a photo session with attendants in the fourth Active Secretaries of Primary Organization of KPA YouthREUTERS
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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attends a photo session with attendants in the fourth Active Secretaries of Primary Organization of KPA Youth
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The August provocation followed test launches of two long-range ballistic missiles in July that suggested a range of 10,000km or more - which would put many parts of the US mainland within striking distance of the tubby tyrant.

Earlier this week North Korean soldiers were being urged to steal food in preparation for an all-out war with the might of the US.

Military officers are turning a “blind eye” to the looting, and are even said to be encouraging it as a means of keeping up their strength because of meagre army rations.

“The military officers are instructing their soldiers, exhausted after training, to eat corn in the fields because war is imminent," a source told news outlet Daily NK.

SHOW OF FORCE: North Korea has conducted its most powerful nuclear test - so when did they last fire off the weapons?
The quake magnitudes following North Korea's nuclear tests have increasing in power for the past 10 decades.September 2016: quake magnitude 5.3January 2016: quake magnitude 5.1February 2013: quake magnitude 5.1May 2009: quake magnitude 4.7October 2006: quake magnitude 4.3
Kim's troops have been told to ready themselves for warREUTERS
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Kim's troops have been told to ready themselves for war
Special operation forces of the Korean People's Army in trainingREUTERS
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Special operation forces of the Korean People's Army in training
“They are even threatening their soldiers, saying ‘If you become malnourished despite permission to eat the corn, you will face difficulties.’”

Another source from Ryanggang Province, claimed: “Soldiers carrying big sacks of unripened corn can be frequently seen at the markets. They see the corn at cheap prices to merchants who have made deals in advance.”

The order is said to have come direct from the "Glorious Leader" - who is said to thrive on a diet of fine wines and continental cheeses.

In response, fed-up farmers have set up guard posts in an attempt to protect their crops.

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US nuclear-capable supersonic bombers and stealth jets in new Korean peninsula drill after North Korea missile launch

GAME CHANGER: North Korea Successfully Tests Nuclear Bomb
Sep 3, 2017 | 0 |
GAME CHANGER: North Korea Successfully Tests Nuclear Bomb
North Korea said on Sunday it detonated a hydrogen bomb, possibly triggering an artificial earthquake and prompting immediate condemnation from its neighbors — despite the rogue regime calling the test a “perfect success.” The blast, carried out at 12:29 p.m. local time at the Punggye-ri site, triggered a magnitude 6.3 earthquake in North Korea, the U.S. Geological Survey reported, though officials in Seoul said it was a magnitude 5.7 quake.
Just hours before Sunday’s test, photos emerged showing the North Korean dictator inspecting a new thermonuclear warhead in a lab. This would be North Korea’s sixth nuclear test and first since September 2016. The test was estimated to have a yield of 100 kilotons, meaning a blast that was four to five times more powerful than the explosion in Nagasaki, Japan, in 1945, a South Korean defense official told the country’s Yonhap News Agency.
READ MORE http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/09/03/quake-in-north-korea-may-have-been-nuclear-test.html

North Korea claims hydrogen bomb test was 'perfect success,' 6th nuclear test
Published September 03, 2017 Fox News

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N. Korea claims successful hydrogen bomb test
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North Korea said on Sunday it detonated a hydrogen bomb, possibly triggering an artificial earthquake and prompting immediate condemnation from its neighbors -- despite the rogue regime calling the test a "perfect success."

The blast, carried out at 12:29 p.m. local time at the Punggye-ri site, triggered a magnitude 6.3 earthquake in North Korea, the U.S. Geological Survey reported, though officials in Seoul said it was a magnitude 5.7 quake.

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(URGENT) North Korea says it conducted H-bomb test http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2017/09/03/0200000000AEN20170903001651315.html …
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Just hours before Sunday's test, photos emerged showing the North Korean dictator inspecting a new thermonuclear warhead in a lab. This would be North Korea's sixth nuclear test and first since September 2016.

President Trump condemned the test on Twitter Sunday morning.

"North Korea has conducted a major Nuclear Test. Their words and actions continue to be very hostile and dangerous to the United States," Trump tweeted.

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Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump
North Korea has conducted a major Nuclear Test. Their words and actions continue to be very hostile and dangerous to the United States.....
12:30 PM - Sep 3, 2017
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"North Korea is a rogue nation which has become a great threat and embarrassment to China, which is trying to help but with little success," he added. "South Korea is finding, as I have told them, that their talk of appeasement with North Korea will not work, they only understand one thing!"

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Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump
..North Korea is a rogue nation which has become a great threat and embarrassment to China, which is trying to help but with little success.
12:39 PM - Sep 3, 2017
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South Korea is finding, as I have told them, that their talk of appeasement with North Korea will not work, they only understand one thing!
12:46 PM - Sep 3, 2017
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The test was estimated to have a yield of 100 kilotons, meaning a blast that was four to five times more powerful than the explosion in Nagasaki, Japan, in 1945, a South Korean defense official told the country's Yonhap News Agency.

In this undated image distributed on Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017, by the North Korean government, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at an undisclosed location. North Korea’s state media on Sunday, Sept 3, 2017, said leader Kim Jong Un inspected the loading of a hydrogen bomb into a new intercontinental ballistic missile, a claim to technological mastery that some outside experts will doubt but that will raise already high worries on the Korean Peninsula. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)Expand / Collapse
North Korea released photos of Kim Jong Un on Sunday showing him inspecting the loading of a possible hydrogen bomb into a new intercontinental ballistic missile. (AP)
Pentagon officials told Fox News early Sunday that the U.S. government would have no official response until after the U.S. fully assesses what happened.

South Korea's presidential office said the security chiefs for Seoul and Washington have spoken. The office said U.S. National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster spoke with his South Korean counterpart, Chung Eui-yong, for 20 minutes in an emergency phone call about an hour after the detonation.

The epicenter was determined to be at a well-known North Korean test site, according to media reports. U.S. intelligence agencies have been closely watching the test site since at least March, when initial signs of test preparations were visible.

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(LEAD) Top security chiefs of S. Korea, U.S. discuss N.K. nuke test http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2017/09/03/0200000000AEN20170903003351315.html …
8:12 AM - Sep 3, 2017
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(LEAD) Top security chiefs of S. Korea, U.S. discuss N.K. nuke test
The top security officials of South Korea and the United States on Sunday discussed how to deal with the aftermath of North Korea's sixth nuclear test, Seoul's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said.
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U.S. officials at the time told Fox News to expect a nuclear test in the near future. Now, more than five months later, the rogue communist regime appears to have followed through.

In his New Year's address, Kim Jung Un said his nation had entered the "final stage" preparing for the test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). In July, North Korea successfully test-fired two ICBMs.

The U.S. Air Force has WC-135 "sniffer" planes in Japan that will be measuring the air samples near the Korean Peninsula to confirm the presence of radioactive particles in the atmosphere and confirm the nuclear test. The Japanese military also has radiological detection equipment in some of its jets as well.

On Thursday, Defense Secretary James Mattis declined to comment when Fox News asked if the Pentagon was seeing evidence of an upcoming nuclear test in North Korea.

The previous day, before sitting next to his South Korean counterpart, Mattis said "We are not out of diplomatic options."

The quake was detected at 12:36 p.m. in North Korea’s North Hamgyeong province, Yonhap reported, citing information from the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). Reuters gave the location as 55 kilometers north northwest of Kimchaek, citing U.S. Geological Survey information. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties, the news agency said.

In this undated image distributed on Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017, by the North Korean government, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at an undisclosed location. North Korea’s state media on Sunday, Sept 3, 2017, said leader Kim Jong Un inspected the loading of a hydrogen bomb into a new intercontinental ballistic missile, a claim to technological mastery that some outside experts will doubt but that will raise already high worries on the Korean Peninsula. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)Expand / Collapse
North Korea released photos of Kim Jong Un on Sunday showing him inspecting the loading of a possible hydrogen bomb into a new intercontinental ballistic missile. (AP)
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he "strongly condemn" the sixth nuclear test, saying it was a "flagrant violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions."

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had recently said North Korea was showing "restraint" in its recent actions.

"Pyongyang has certainly demonstrated some level of restraint that we’ve not seen in the past," he said at the State Department.

President Trump, at a rally in Phoenix in late August, said North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un was starting to "respect" the United States.

In April, Tillerson told Fox News' Bret Baier that China had asked North Korea not to conduct any more nuclear tests.

“We’re asking a lot of the Chinese,” Tillerson said at the time. “We are going to test China’s willingness to help address this serious threat.”

'Absolutely unacceptable'

Early Sunday, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe quickly commented that if the quake was indeed a nuclear test by North Korea, it would be "absolutely unacceptable."

The quake came just hours after the regime of leader Kim Jong Un bragged of developing a more advanced nuclear warhead, Britain’s Guardian reported. The epicenter of the quake was estimated to be at 10 kilometers underground, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The Kim regime has been engaged in a heated rhetorical battle with the United States in recent months – largely because of missile tests North Korea has conducted.

Shortly after the initial quake, Yonhap said a second quake was detected with a magnitude 4.6, but South Korea's weather agency denied another quake occurred. There was no word from the military in Seoul about the possible second quake.

North Korea conducted its fifth test last year in September. In confirmed, the latest test would mark yet another big step forward in North Korean attempts to obtain a nuclear-armed missile capable of reaching deep into the U.S. mainland.

The U.S. State Department had no immediate reaction. South Korea's presidential office said it will hold a National Security Council meeting chaired by President Moon Jae-in.

Torrid pace

North Korea conducted two nuclear tests last year and has since maintained a torrid pace in weapons tests, including flight-testing developmental intercontinental ballistic missiles and flying a powerful midrange missile over Japan.

Earlier Sunday, photos released by the North Korean government showed Kim talking with his lieutenants as he observed a silver, peanut-shaped device that was apparently the purported thermonuclear weapon destined for an ICBM. What appeared to be the nose cone of a missile could also be seen near the alleged bomb in one picture, which could not be independently verified and which was taken without outside journalists present. Another photo showed a diagram on the wall behind Kim of a bomb mounted inside a cone.

Aside from the factuality of the North's claim, the language in its statement seems a strong signal that Pyongyang will soon conduct its sixth nuclear weapon test, which is crucial if North Korean scientists are to fulfill the national goal of an arsenal of viable nuclear ICBMs that can reach the U.S. mainland. There's speculation that such a test could come on or around the Sept. 9 anniversary of North Korea's national founding, something it did last year.

As part of the North's weapons work, Kim was said by his propaganda mavens to have made a visit to the Nuclear Weapons Institute and inspected a "homemade" H-bomb with "super explosive power" that "is adjustable from tens (of) kiloton to hundreds (of) kiloton."

Jump in progress

North Korea in July conducted its first ever ICBM tests, part of a stunning jump in progress for the country's nuclear and missile program since Kim rose to power following his father's death in late 2011. The North followed its two tests of Hwasong-14 ICBMs, which, when perfected, could target large parts of the United States, by threatening to launch a salvo of its Hwasong-12 intermediate range missiles toward the U.S. Pacific island territory of Guam in August.

It flew a Hwasong-12 over northern Japan last week, the first such overflight by a missile capable of carrying nukes, in a launch Kim described as a "meaningful prelude" to containing Guam, the home of major U.S. military facilities, and more ballistic missile tests targeting the Pacific.

Vipin Narang, an MIT professor specializing in nuclear strategy, said it's important to note that North Korea was only showing a mockup of a two-stage thermonuclear device, or H-bomb. "We won't know what they have until they test it, and even then there may be a great deal of uncertainty depending on the yield and seismic signature and any isotopes we can detect after a test," he said.

To back up its claims to nuclear mastery, such tests are vital. The first of its two atomic tests last year involved what Pyongyang claimed was a sophisticated hydrogen bomb; the second it said was its most powerful atomic detonation ever.

It is almost impossible to independently confirm North Korean statements about its highly secret weapons program. South Korean government officials said the estimated explosive yield of last year's first test was much smaller than what even a failed hydrogen bomb detonation would produce. There was speculation that North Korea might have detonated a boosted fission bomb, a weapon considered halfway between an atomic bomb and an H-bomb.

Invaluable information

It is clear, however, that each new missile and nuclear test gives the North invaluable information that allows big jumps in capability. A key question is how far North Korea has gotten in efforts to consistently shrink down nuclear warheads so they can fit on long-range missiles.

"Though we cannot verify the claim, (North Korea) wants us to believe that it can launch a thermonuclear strike now, if it is attacked. Importantly, (North Korea) will also want to test this warhead, probably at a larger yield, to demonstrate this capability," said Adam Mount, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress.

North Korea is thought to have a growing arsenal of nuclear bombs and has spent decades trying to perfect a multistage, long-range missile to eventually carry smaller versions of those bombs.

South Korea's main spy agency has previously asserted that it does not think Pyongyang currently has the ability to develop miniaturized nuclear weapons that can be mounted on long-range ballistic missiles. Some experts, however, think the North may have mastered this technology.

The White House said that President Donald Trump spoke with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan regarding "ongoing efforts to maximize pressure on North Korea." The statement did not say whether the conversation came before or after the North's latest claim.

A long line of U.S. presidents has failed to check North Korea's persistent pursuit of missiles and nuclear weapons. Six-nation negotiations on dismantling North Korea's nuclear program in exchange for aid fell apart in early 2009.

'Great destructive power'

The North said in its statement Sunday that its H-bomb "is a multi-functional thermonuclear nuke with great destructive power which can be detonated even at high altitudes for super-powerful EMP (electromagnetic pulse) attack according to strategic goals."

Kim, according to the statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, claimed that "all components of the H-bomb were homemade ... thus enabling the country to produce powerful nuclear weapons as many as it wants."

In what could be read as a veiled warning of more nuclear tests, Kim underlined the need for scientists to "dynamically conduct the campaign for successfully concluding the final-stage research and development for perfecting the state nuclear force" and "set forth tasks to be fulfilled in the research into nukes."

The two Koreas have shared the world's most heavily fortified border since their war in the early 1950s ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. About 28,500 American troops are deployed in South Korea as deterrence against North Korea.
Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and Jennifer Griffin and The Associated Press contributed to this story.