North Korean nuclear test

Another North Korean Nuke Test As Artificial 5.1 Magnitude Earthquake Detected In DPRK

Zero Hedge,

11 February, 2013

Update: S.KOREA RAISES MILITARY READINESS LEVEL, YONHAP REPORTS

Just because it has been off the headlines for a while, the time has come for North Korea to remind everyone it is still there, somewhere, with what appears another underground nuclear test, a few short years after that last one from May 2009.

• N. KOREA TEST ‘LIKELY’ TO BE NUCLEAR: S. KOREA DEFENSE MINISTRY 
• S. KOREAN DEFENSE MINISTRY CONFIRMS DPRK NUCLEAR TEST
• USGS says earthquake of 4.9 scale detected in North Korea near to known nuclear test site - RTRS
• Seismic activity has been detected in North Korea. North Korea is not prone to seismic activity, it could indicate a nuclear test - RTRS
• Seismic activity detected in DPRK... believed to be "man-made" per various ROK sources - VOA
• Artificial earthquake detected in N. Korea - Yonhap
• S. Korea's presidential office checking reports of artificial quake in N. Korea -Yonhap
• Lee convenes National Security Council meeting amid suspected N. Korean nuclear test - Yonhap

From the USGS:

Abe, who will likely see this event as a catalyst for much more easing by the BOJ, issued this response:

The Prime Minister’s instruction (after the information of the implementation of a nuclear test by North Korea)

February 12, 2013 at 12:13pm 

(Provisional Translation)

1      Conduct information gathering and analysis by the ministries and agencies concerned with a sense of urgency,

2      Provide the public with the accurate information,

3      Collaborate with the countries concerned including the United States, the Republic of Korea, China and Russia.

END

Of course, since this won't have any impact on the only wars that matter, the currencyones, it is unlikely that anything but more jawboning, and hard language out of both South Korea, the US and the UN, will come out of this attempt by DPRK to appear relevant.

And this just a bit earlier:

After North Korea vowed to continue firing long-range rockets without mentioning a promised nuclear test, South Korea's defense ministry said Tuesday Pyongyang could launch missiles and detonate a nuclear device simultaneously.

South Korea has been put on high alert since the North last month threatened to conduct a third atomic test to protest strengthened sanctions for its December rocket launch, with some expecting the tension to enter the most critical phase this week ahead of political events.

S.Korea believes NKorea conducted third atomic test

Santa Cruz Sentinel,

11 February, 2013

SEOUL, South Korea—A South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman says Seoul believes that a nuclear test caused an earthquake in North Korea near the site of two previous atomic tests.

Kim Min-seok says North Korea informed China and the United States of its plans to conduct a nuclear test.

Kim says that shortly before noon Tuesday an earthquake was detected in North Korea.

An earthquake was detected Tuesday in North Korea just north of a site where the country has conducted nuclear tests, providing strong indication that Pyongyang has gone ahead with a highly anticipated third test. There was, however, no confirmation of the test.

The South Korean Defense Ministry, which raised its military alert level after the quake, said it was trying to determine whether it was a test. Nuclear blasts can create tremors but they are distinct from those caused by natural earthquakes.

The U.N. organization monitoring nuclear tests says it has detected an "unusual seismic event" in North Korea.

The U.S. Geological Survey as well as earthquake monitoring stations in South Korea detected an earthquake just north of a site where North Korea conducted its second nuclear test in 2009.

"There is a high possibility that North Korea has conducted a nuclear test," said Chi Heoncheol, an earthquake specialist at the government-funded Korea

Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources. Chi said a magnitude 3.9 magnitude earthquake and a magnitude 4.5 earthquake were detected in the North's 2006 and 2009 nuclear tests.

South Korean, U.S. and Japanese seismic monitoring agencies put the magnitude of Tuesday's quake at 4.7, 4.9 and 5.2 respectively.

"We think it is possible it came about as a result of a nuclear test by North Korea from looking at past cases," Japanese government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said at a news conference Tuesday, noting that they were still gathering information.

The United States and its allies have been on edge since North Korea said last month it will conduct its third nuclear test to protest toughened sanctions over a December rocket launch that the U.N. called a cover for a banned missile test.

North Korea's politburo vowed to continue firing "powerful long-range rockets," but a statement by state media Tuesday made no mention of a nuclear test.

North Korea's National Defense Commission said Jan. 23 that the United States was its prime target for a nuclear test and long-range rocket launches. North Korea accuses Washington of leading the push to punish Pyongyang for its December rocket launch.

Last October, a spokesman from the commission told state media that the country had built a missile capable of striking the United States, but did not provide further details. A missile featured in an April 2012 military parade appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile, but its authenticity has not been verified by foreign experts.