Start 2016 with H-bomb�s thrilling sound: Kim Jong Un

He cements position with bomb claim

AFP, SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un personally signed the order three weeks ago authorising Pyongyang’s latest nuclear test, calling for 2016 to kick off with the “thrilling sound” of a hydrogen bomb explosion.
The North said Wednesday it had conducted its first “successful” miniaturised hydrogen bomb test—a shock announcement that drew condemnation from its neighbours including its major ally China.
The news was broadcast on state television, which also showed a copy of Kim’s initial signed order dated December 15.
“Let’s begin the year of 2016 ... with the thrilling sound of our first hydrogen bomb explosion, so that the whole world will look up to our socialist, nuclear-armed republic and the great Workers’ Party of Korea!” Kim wrote in a handwritten message next to his signature.
The television also showed a second order dated January 3 in which Kim signed off his final approval for the test to be conducted on January 6.
Kim, who took over after the death of his father Kim Jong-Il in December 2011, also presided over the country’s third nuclear test in February 2013.
A hydrogen, or thermonuclear, bomb uses fusion in a chain reaction that results in a far more powerful explosion than the fission blast generated by uranium or plutonium alone.
North Korea was believed to be years from developing such a sophisticated device, and experts voiced scepticism that Wednesday’s test was indeed of a hydrogen bomb—saying the apparent yield was far too low.
Kim had suggested last month Pyongyang had already developed such an H-bomb—a claim that was largely dismissed as exaggerated rhetoric at the time.
Meanwhile, with a surprise nuclear test two days before his birthday, North Korea’s young leader Kim Jong-Un has once again asserted his personal control over the hermit state he inherited from his late father four years ago.
When he came to power after Kim Jong-Il’s death in December 2011, the younger Kim was considered untested, vulnerable and likely to be manipulated by senior figures.
But he has proved his metal in dealing harshly—sometimes brutally—with any sign of internal dissent, even at the highest levels, while maintaining an aggressively provocative stance with the international community.
He has shown himself willing to alienate the North’s sole major ally China with his unstinting efforts to advance the country’s nuclear and missile programmes that culminated in Wednesday’s announcement of a “successful” hydrogen bomb test. The announcement came just two days before his 33rd birthday on January 8 and ahead of a rare ruling party congress scheduled to take place in May—the first such gathering for 35 years.
Birthdays and other key anniversaries have often been used by North Korea as an excuse to demonstrate its military prowess and glorify its leaders. With the H-bomb claim, Kim can now boast of a “’great achievement’ that even (founding leader) Kim Il-Sung or Kim Jong-Il could not realise,” Toshimitsu Shigemura, a professor at Tokyo’s Waseda University and an expert on North Korea, told AFP.

Start 2016 with H-bomb�s thrilling sound: Kim Jong Un

He cements position with bomb claim

AFP, SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un personally signed the order three weeks ago authorising Pyongyangs latest nuclear test, calling for 2016 to kick off with the thrilling sound of a hydrogen bomb explosion. The North said Wednesday it had conducted its first successful miniaturised hydrogen bomb testa shock announcement that drew condemnation from its neighbours including its major ally China. The news was broadcast on state television, which also showed a copy of Kims initial signed order dated December 15. Lets begin the year of 2016 ... with the thrilling sound of our first hydrogen bomb explosion, so that the whole world will look up to our socialist, nuclear-armed republic and the great Workers Party of Korea! Kim wrote in a handwritten message next to his signature. The television also showed a second order dated January 3 in which Kim signed off his final approval for the test to be conducted on January 6. Kim, who took over after the death of his father Kim Jong-Il in December 2011, also presided over the countrys third nuclear test in February 2013. A hydrogen, or thermonuclear, bomb uses fusion in a chain reaction that results in a far more powerful explosion than the fission blast generated by uranium or plutonium alone. North Korea was believed to be years from developing such a sophisticated device, and experts voiced scepticism that Wednesdays test was indeed of a hydrogen bombsaying the apparent yield was far too low. Kim had suggested last month Pyongyang had already developed such an H-bomba claim that was largely dismissed as exaggerated rhetoric at the time. Meanwhile, with a surprise nuclear test two days before his birthday, North Koreas young leader Kim Jong-Un has once again asserted his personal control over the hermit state he inherited from his late father four years ago. When he came to power after Kim Jong-Ils death in December 2011, the younger Kim was considered untested, vulnerable and likely to be manipulated by senior figures. But he has proved his metal in dealing harshlysometimes brutallywith any sign of internal dissent, even at the highest levels, while maintaining an aggressively provocative stance with the international community. He has shown himself willing to alienate the Norths sole major ally China with his unstinting efforts to advance the countrys nuclear and missile programmes that culminated in Wednesdays announcement of a successful hydrogen bomb test. The announcement came just two days before his 33rd birthday on January 8 and ahead of a rare ruling party congress scheduled to take place in Maythe first such gathering for 35 years. Birthdays and other key anniversaries have often been used by North Korea as an excuse to demonstrate its military prowess and glorify its leaders. With the H-bomb claim, Kim can now boast of a great achievement that even (founding leader) Kim Il-Sung or Kim Jong-Il could not realise, Toshimitsu Shigemura, a professor at Tokyos Waseda University and an expert on North Korea, told AFP.