North Korea: 5.3 magnitude quake sets alarm for fifth nuclear test

North Korea has likely conducted their fifth nuclear test, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported on Friday. A 5.3 magnitude seismic event was detected northwest of North Korea’s Punggye-ri nuclear testing site at 9:30 am on Friday (Local Time), suggesting that the country has carried out its fifth nuclear test.

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Arshi Aggarwal
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North Korea: 5.3 magnitude quake sets alarm for fifth nuclear test

North Korea has likely conducted their fifth nuclear test (Representative Image)

North Korea has likely conducted their fifth nuclear test, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported on Friday. 

A 5.3 magnitude seismic event was detected northwest of North Korea’s Punggye-ri nuclear testing site at 9:30 am on Friday (Local Time), suggesting that the country has carried out its fifth nuclear test.

The United States Geological Survey reported the depth of the quake at 0 kilometers, strongly suggesting that Friday’s event was a nuclear test.

In January, North Korea announced it had carried out a "successful" hydrogen bomb test and in recent months it has carried out a number of ballistic missile launches, all of which were in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.

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The test makes 2016 the first year since North Korea began testing its nuclear devices underground to see more than a single nuclear test. North Korea previously tested nuclear weapons in January 2016, February 2013, May 2009, and October 2006. 

Friday’s explosion marks the continuation of an exceptionally active year of nuclear and missile testing from North Korea. In addition to the two nuclear tests this year, Pyongyang has been repeatedly testing various ballistic missiles, including its first submarine-launched ballistic missile.

Earlier this week, during the G20 meeting in Hangzhou, China, Pyongyang launched previously unseen Scud-ER missiles.

North Korea confirms fifth and biggest nuclear test; Japan, South Korea say it is ‘unacceptable'

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