Norway condemns North Korea's nuclear test

'This nuclear test marks a reckless provocation in an already extremely tense and dangerous situation on the Korean Peninsula and in the region. The DPRK's actions are completely unacceptable and require a strong and united response from the UN Security Council and international community. Still, we must also recognise that this conflict has no easy military solutions, but rather needs to be resolved politically and diplomatically.'

The DPRK claims to have carried out a successful test of a fusion bomb (hydrogen bomb), as well as the capability of loading it on to an intercontinental missile. This marks the country's sixth nuclear test and largest to date. According to Norsar, seismic waves were registered at a magnitude of 5.8 on the Richter scale in the area where two previous nuclear tests were performed. This indicates an explosive yield of circa 120 kilotons TNT. In comparison, its previous nuclear test in September 2016 measured 20 kilotons TNT, while the Hiroshima bomb from 1945 was at 15 kilotons.

'The DPRK's repeated nuclear testing undermines the international norm against the proliferation of nuclear weapons under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT),' said Mr Brende. 'The DPRK's nuclear test confirms once again how important it is to implement the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban (CNTB) Treaty. The treaty has not yet entered into force because eight countries, including the DPRK, still have not ratified it.'