Korea Utara Konfirmasi `Uji Nuklir Bawah Tanah`
North Korea Confirms `Underground Nuclear Test`
Editor : Ismail Gani
Translator : Novita Cahyadi
 b.jpg)
Seoul (B2B) - Korea Utara, Selasa, mengonfirmasi berhasil melakukan percobaan nuklir dengan menggunakan perangkat bom nuklir "miniatur" jenis baru; sebagai jawaban atas sikap "permusuhan" Amerika Serikat.
"Percobaan nuklir ketiga berhasil," lapor Kantor Berita milik pemerintah Korea Utara KCNA. "Percobaan kali ini tidak seperti sebelumnya karena menghasilkan daya ledak lebih besar serta melibatkan "miniatur" bom atom yang bobotnya lebih ringan."
Pengumuman perangkat dalam ukuran "miniatur" itu mengejutkan dunia internasional, karena bisa saja diasumsikan Pyongyang telah berhasil menguasai proses teknis yang rumit membuat hulu ledak nuklir mini untuk dipasang pada misil jarak jauh.
Sebelumnya, China mengumumkan terjadi satu aktivitas seismik secara cukup berarti dari arah daratan Korea Utara dari kedalaman 0 kilometer alias di permukaan tanah. China dan Korea Utara berbatasan darat langsung dan atas "kemampuan" ini, China jadi cukup gerah juga.
Kemampuan membuat perangkat berukuran miniatur itu diyakini menambah kemampuan nuklir Korea Utara setelah peluncuran roket pada Desember lalu.
Peluncuran rudal pada Desember itu dikutuk dunia internasional lewat resolusi Dewan Keamanan PBB yang menambah sanksi terhadap Pyongyang.
"Percobaan nuklir itu bagian dari langkah melindungi keutuhan dan keamanan nasional guna menjawab permusuhan Amerika Serikat yang mengganggu hak kami meluncurkan satelit bertujuan damai," tulis KCNA.
Korea Selatan dengan segera mengutuk percobaan itu.
"Langkah itu merupakan ancaman yang tidak dapat diterima dan mengganggu keamanan Semenanjung Korea dan wilayah timur laut Asia serta tantangan bagi seluruh komunitas internasional," kata penasihat keamanan nasional Korea Selatan, Chun Young-woo, kepada wartawan.
"Korea Utara harus bertanggung jawab atas aksi provokasi semacam itu," tegas Chun.
Seoul - North Korea confirmed it has successfully carried out an underground nuclear test of a new, "miniaturised" device in what it called a targeted response to US "hostility".
"A third nuclear test has been successfully staged," the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
"The high-level nuclear test, unlike in the past, had more explosive power and involved a miniaturised and lighter atomic bomb and was staged safely and perfectly," KCNA said.
The announcement that the device was "miniaturised" will set alarm bells ringing around the globe, with its suggestion that Pyongyang has mastered the technically complex process of producing a warhead small enough to fit on a long-range missile.
Proven miniaturisation ability would take on added significance in the wake of December´s rocket launch which marked a major step forward in the North´s ballistic prowess.
The December launch was condemned in a UN Security Council resolution that also expanded existing sanctions against Pyongyang.
North Korea said the launch was a purely scientific mission to place a satellite in orbit, and the KCNA announcement said Tuesday´s test was a direct response to the US proposed resolution.
"The nuclear test was conducted as part of measures to protect our national security and sovereignty against the reckless hostility of the United States that violated our republic´s right for a peaceful satellite launch," KCNA said.
South Korea moved quickly to condemn the test.
"This is an unacceptable threat to the security of the Korean peninsula and northeast Asia and a challenge to the whole international community," presidential national security adviser Chun Young-Woo told reporters.
"The North will face grave responsibility for such provocations," Chun said.
