North Korea conducted its third nuclear test late Monday night, directly defying existing United Nations resolutions, which has now led to condemnation from Japan, the United States, and North Korea's only major ally, China. The exercise was apparently a self-defense act in response to "U.S. hostility" and involved a lighter, "miniaturized" device, which is an indication of the use of plutonium. In response, China immediately met with the North Korean ambassador in Beijing in order to protest these actions. According to Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, the country has urged North Korea to "stop any rhetoric or acts that could worsen situations and return to the right course of dialogue and consultation as soon as possible". President Barack Obama released the following statement this morning:
North Korea announced today that it conducted a third nuclear test. This is a highly provocative act that, following its December 12 ballistic missile launch, undermines regional stability, violates North Korea's obligations under numerous United Nations Security Council resolutions, contravenes its commitments under the September 19, 2005 Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks, and increases the risk of proliferation. North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs constitute a threat to U.S. national security and to international peace and security. The United States remains vigilant in the face of North Korean provocations and steadfast in our defense commitments to allies in the region.
These provocations do not make North Korea more secure. Far from achieving its stated goal of becoming a strong and prosperous nation, North Korea has instead increasingly isolated and impoverished its people through its ill-advised pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery.
The danger posed by North Korea's threatening activities warrants further swift and credible action by the international community. The United States will also continue to take steps necessary to defend ourselves and our allies. We will strengthen close coordination with allies and partners and work with our Six-Party partners, the United Nations Security Council, and other UN member states to pursue firm action.
According to an unnamed spokesman for the North Korean Foreign Ministry, this third nuclear test "was only the first response we took with maximum restraint." He then went on to state:
"If the United States continues to come out with hostility and complicates the situation, we will be forced to take stronger, second and third responses in consecutive steps."
The Security Council will meet today to discuss how it will react to this act of defiance. North Korea is one of the most heavily sanctioned nations, though, and has a very limited amount of outside economic relations to target.
