The Latest on the nuclear test North Korea conducted Sunday — its sixth and largest so far (all times local) :
TOKYO (AP) — The Latest on the nuclear test North Korea conducted Sunday — its sixth and largest so far (all times local) :
11 p.m.
U. S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says he is putting together new sanctions seeking to cut off trade with North Korea after it detonated a thermonuclear device in its sixth and most powerful nuclear test.
Speaking on «Fox News Sunday, » Mnuchin described Pyongyang’s behavior as «completely unacceptable.»
Mnuchin says the sanctions package being drafted for President Donald Trump’s consideration will make clear that if countries want to do business with the U. S., they will have to cut off North Korea economically.
Mnuchin says the U. S. is continuing to work with allies and China to exert pressure on North Korea.
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10: 45 p.m.
The office of German Chancellor Angela Merkel says North Korea’s provocations have «reached a new dimension» with the nation’s sixth nuclear test.
Merkel spoke on the phone Sunday with French president Emmanuel Macron. Her office says both leaders «condemn North Korea’s new nuclear tests in the sharpest possible terms» and that «the latest provocation by the rulers in Pyongyang has reached a new dimension.»
Macron’s office said he, Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni agree on the need for a «strong international reaction» against North Korea, including new sanctions from the European Union.
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10: 25 p.m.
The White House says President Donald Trump and his national security team plan a meeting later Sunday to discuss North Korea, in the wake of the North’s announcement that it has conducted its most powerful nuclear test to date.
The White House says the president’s team is «monitoring this closely.»
Trump has reacted to the test by calling North Korea «a rogue nation» whose «words and actions continue to be very hostile and dangerous to the United States.»
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9: 25 p.m.
Britain and Italy are among the many nations condemning North Korea over its sixth nuclear test Sunday.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson called the test «reckless» in a statement and said «all options are on the table.»
Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said in a statement that North Korea must immediately abandon its nuclear and missile development program.
He also urged the North Koreans to stop going down the path of increasing self-isolation. Alfano pledged that Italy would do its part to at achieve a «firm and cohesive response» by the international community to North Korea’s latest challenge.
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9: 20 p.m.
The European Union’s foreign policy chief says North Korea’s sixth nuclear test represents a «major provocation» and «a grave threat to regional and international security.»
Federica Mogherini also said in a statement that Pyongyang «must abandon its nuclear, weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner and immediately cease all related activities.»
Mogherini said she will meet Monday with Yukiya Amano, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, to discuss North Korea.
North Korea’s nuclear test Sunday was apparently its most powerful yet. The country’s state-controlled media say it was a thermonuclear device and a «perfect success.»
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9: 15 p.m.
NATO’s secretary-general has strongly condemned North Korea’s sixth nuclear test, calling it «yet another flagrant violation of multiple U. N. Security Council resolutions.»
Jens Stoltenberg also said in a statement that «NATO is concerned by Pyongyang’s destabilizing pattern of behavior, which poses a threat to regional and international security.»
He called on North Korea to «immediately cease all existing nuclear and ballistic missile activities in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner, and re-engage in dialogue with the international community.»
North Korea’s nuclear test Sunday was apparently its most powerful yet. The country’s state-controlled media say it was a thermonuclear device and a «perfect success.»
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9 p.m.
The head of the U. N. atomic energy agency says the latest test of a nuclear weapon by North Korea is of «grave concern.» He’s urging Pyongyang to heed U. N. demands to stop such testing and mothball its nuclear program.
Yukiya Amano says the International Atomic Energy Agency «continues to closely follow developments.» But while the IAEA is policing Iran’s nuclear program, its abilities to monitor the North’s program are limited.
Its inspectors have been shut out of the country since 2002, and North Korea unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty a year later.
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8: 45 p.m.
President Donald Trump has reacted to what he’s calling «a major Nuclear Test» by North Korea — branding the North «a rogue nation» whose «words and actions continue to be very hostile and dangerous» to the United States.
North Korea says it has conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test to date — and claiming a «perfect success.»
Trump tweets that North Korea «has become a great threat and embarrassment to China, which is trying to help but with little success.»
China is by far the North’s biggest trading partner.
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7: 25 p.m.
French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned «in the strongest possible terms» North Korea’s sixth nuclear test.
In a written statement, Macron «calls on the members of the United Nations Security Council to quickly react to this new violation by North Korea of international law.»
He also calls for a «united and clear reaction of the European Union.»
He says the international community «must treat this new provocation with the utmost firmness» to bring North Korea back to the path of dialogue and give up its nuclear and missile programs.
North Korea’s nuclear test Sunday was apparently its most powerful yet. State-controlled media say it was a hydrogen bomb. South Korea’s weather agency says the detonation set off a magnitude 5.7 earthquake.
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6: 35 p.m.
The Russian Foreign Ministry says North Korea’s claim to have tested a hydrogen bomb «deserves the strongest condemnation.» It’s calling for all parties to refrain from escalating tensions further.
The ministry issued a statement Sunday urging immediate dialogue and negotiations. It says that’s the only way settle the Korean Peninsula’s problems, «including the nuclear one.»
The ministry says Russia reaffirms its readiness to participate in negotiations, «including in the context of the implementation of the Russian-Chinese road map.» Under that proposal, North Korea would suspend nuclear and missile tests in exchange for the U. S. and South Korea suspending their joint military exercises.
North Korea’s nuclear test Sunday was apparently its most powerful yet. The country’s state-controlled media say it was a thermonuclear device and a «perfect success.»
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6: 20 p.m.
A Chinese expert on North Korea says the country conducted its sixth nuclear test Sunday to damage the atmosphere at the summit of the Chinese-led group of large and emerging countries known as BRICS.
The summit of leaders from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa is being held Monday and Tuesday in the southeastern Chinese city of Xiamen. A related business forum opened Sunday with a keynote speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who said nothing of the missile test.
Cheng Xiaohe (CHUHNG-She’ow-huh) of Renmin University says the latest test means «the Korean Peninsula situation will be at a stage of new crisis.»
He says North Korea has demonstrated that it is not afraid of any pressure, which leaves other parties with few options.
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6 p.m.
China’s foreign ministry has condemned North Korea’s sixth nuclear test.
The ministry said in a statement Sunday that the Chinese government has «expressed firm opposition and strong condemnation» of Sunday’s detonation.
China urged North Korea to «stop taking erroneous actions that deteriorate the situation.»
North Korea’s nuclear test Sunday was apparently its most powerful yet. The country’s state-controlled media say it was a thermonuclear device.
