North Korea has announced that it had successfully carried out its first hydrogen bomb test, a development that, if confirmed, would marking a stunning step forward in its nuclear development. The surprise test was personally ordered by North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and came just two days before his birthday. Only last month, during remarks made during an inspection tour, Kim had suggested Pyongyang had already developed a hydrogen bomb — although the claim was greeted with scepticism by international experts.
A hydrogen, or thermonuclear device, uses fusion in a chain reaction that results in a far more powerful explosion. The announcement will leave the international community scrambling to verify the accuracy of the North’s claims.
Most experts had assumed Pyongyang was years from developing a thermonuclear bomb, while assessments were divided on how far it had gone in mastering the technology to miniaturise a device that could fit on a ballistic missile.
What is a hydrogen bomb?
- A weapon where the nuclear fusion of hydrogen isotopes creates a rapid release of energy, developed in 1952 by the United States.
- Also known as a thermonuclear bomb, it can be much more powerful than atomic weapons that use fission.
- Such bombs can be as small as a few feet long and can fit in warheads of ballistic missiles.
North Korea
- President : Kim Jong-un
- Capital : Pyongyang
- Currency : North Korean won
