China, North Korea's key diplomatic protector, said Wednesday it "firmly opposes" Pyongyang's nuclear test, adding it was carried out "irrespective of the international community's opposition".
"We strongly urge the DPRK side to remain committed to its denuclearization commitment, and stop taking any actions that would make the situation worse," foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a regular briefing, using the North's official name.
Full StoryNorth Korea's claim that it carried out a successful hydrogen bomb test Wednesday drew swift condemnation from friends and foes alike.
China said it "firmly opposes" its neighbor’s actions while others blasted it as an intolerable provocation that must be punished.
Full StoryThe United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting Wednesday in New York after North Korea claimed it had carried out a "successful" hydrogen bomb test, diplomats said.
The closed-door morning talks between the 15 member nations were called by the United Nations and Japan.
Full StoryThe United States said it was too early to verify North Korea's claim to have tested a hydrogen bomb Wednesday, but vowed to "respond appropriately" to "any and all provocations."
The White House has recently expressed skepticism about Pyongyang's announcement that it had perfected a device substantially more powerful than an atom bomb.
Full StoryNorth Korea Wednesday said it had carried out a hydrogen bomb test after seismologists detected a tremor near its main atomic test site.
These are the key dates in North Korean history and its development of long-range missiles and nuclear weapons:
Full StoryNorth Korea said Wednesday it had carried out a "successful" miniaturized hydrogen bomb test -- a shock announcement that, if confirmed, would massively raise the stakes in the hermit state's bid to strengthen its nuclear arsenal.
The announcement triggered swift international condemnation but also skepticism, with experts suggesting the apparent yield was far too low for a thermonuclear device.
Full StoryNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-Un said raising living standards was his top priority in a low-key annual New Year's address on Friday that avoided any explicit reference to the country's nuclear weapons program.
The 30-minute televised speech was not without the normal bellicose rhetoric -- threatening a "sacred war" if provoked and stressing the need to develop "varied" military strike options -- but the clear thrust was economic development in the isolated, cash-strapped state.
Full StoryNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-Un's one-time right-hand man was Wednesday confirmed to have made a comeback to Pyongyang's inner circle, after reportedly being purged and sent to a farm for "re-education".
Analysts said the reversal of fortune for Choe Ryong-Hae is the latest in a series, and indicate the young leader may be taking a softer line after earning a reputation for ruthlessness with the elimination of high-ranking officials including his uncle.
Full StoryNorth Korea has warned the United States of "unimaginable consequences" from its "hostile" policy toward the nuclear armed state, urging Washington to accept its long-standing demand for a peace treaty.
The warning was made in a statement from the North's foreign ministry late Wednesday in reaction to fresh sanctions imposed by Washington last week.
Full StoryNorth Korea on Tuesday described recent high-level talks with the South as a waste of time and a step backwards for cross-border relations, as both sides continued to blame each other for the dialogue's failure.
The vice minister-level discussions on ways to improve ties -- the first of their kind for nearly two years -- ended Saturday night after two days of marathon negotiations, with no agreement and no commitment to meet again.
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