N Korea leader hints at H-bomb capability

AFP, SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has suggested his nuclear-armed state has developed a hydrogen bomb, a move that would signal a major step forward in its nuclear weapons capabilities.
During a recent inspection tour of a historical military site, Kim mentioned that North Korea was already a “powerful nuclear weapons state ready to detonate self-reliant A-bomb and H-bomb to reliably defend its sovereignty”, the North’s official KCNA news agency said Thursday.
North Korea has already tested three atom bombs, which rely on nuclear fission.
A hydrogen, or thermonuclear device, uses fusion in a chain reaction that results in a far more powerful explosion.
North Korea has hinted before at the possession of “stronger, more powerful” weapons, but Kim’s remarks were believed to be the first direct reference to an H-bomb.
The North has made many unverifiable claims about its nuclear weapons strength, including the ability to strike the US mainland, which most experts dismiss—at least for now.
A South Korean intelligence official said Kim’s claim was nothing more than “rhetoric” for domestic consumption.
“We don’t have any information that North Korea has developed an H-bomb... and we do not believe that North Korea has the technology to produce an H-bomb,” the official told the Yonhap news agency.

N Korea leader hints at H-bomb capability

AFP, SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has suggested his nuclear-armed state has developed a hydrogen bomb, a move that would signal a major step forward in its nuclear weapons capabilities. During a recent inspection tour of a historical military site, Kim mentioned that North Korea was already a powerful nuclear weapons state ready to detonate self-reliant A-bomb and H-bomb to reliably defend its sovereignty, the Norths official KCNA news agency said Thursday. North Korea has already tested three atom bombs, which rely on nuclear fission. A hydrogen, or thermonuclear device, uses fusion in a chain reaction that results in a far more powerful explosion. North Korea has hinted before at the possession of stronger, more powerful weapons, but Kims remarks were believed to be the first direct reference to an H-bomb. The North has made many unverifiable claims about its nuclear weapons strength, including the ability to strike the US mainland, which most experts dismissat least for now. A South Korean intelligence official said Kims claim was nothing more than rhetoric for domestic consumption. We dont have any information that North Korea has developed an H-bomb... and we do not believe that North Korea has the technology to produce an H-bomb, the official told the Yonhap news agency.