North Korea has succeeded in making a more developed nuke as Kim Jong Un inspected the loading of a hydrogen bomb into a new intercontinental ballistic missile, thus marking a sharp escalation of tensions on the Korean peninsula.
Kim watched the loading of a "homemade" H-bomb into an ICBM during a visit to the North's Nuclear Weapons Institute, Pyongyang's state media said on Sunday.
"The loading of a "homemade" H-bomb into an ICBM, the explosive power of which is adjustable from tens kiloton to hundreds kiloton, is a multi-functional thermonuclear nuke with great destructive power which can be detonated even at high altitudes for super-powerful EMP (electromagnetic pulse) attack according to strategic goals," KCNA reported in English.
"Nuclear Electromagnetic pulse (EMP) has the potential to disrupt, damage, or destroy a wide variety of electrical and electronic equipment," CNN quoted the U.S. Department of Energy statement.
EMP waves can disable all sorts of electrical devices, but their biggest threat is to the electrical grid and long-haul communications, an Energy Department report says. One blast could knock out power and communications over hundreds or even thousands of kilometers, the report said.
It is being reported that North Korea may have conducted another nuclear test. The South Korean government said on Sunday after seismic authorities detected an artificial earthquake near Pyongyang regime's known nuclear test site.
Japan has also concluded that tremors detected in North Korea were a nuclear explosion, marking the sixth atomic test by Pyongyang since 2006.
More From This Section
North Korea has already threatened United States that the second step of military operations involving Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile will be directed at the U.S.Pacific island of Guam.
United States has been sending mixed signals to Kim jong-un with President Donald Trump saying that "talking is not the answer" when it comes to reining in North Korea-contradicting his top Cabinet officials who insist the Washington will continue to seek diplomatic resolution of Pyongyang nuclear and ballistic missile program.
Indicating a military option to deal with North Korea, Trump Tweeted,"The U.S. has been talking to North Korea, and paying them extortion money, for 25 years. Talking is not the answer!"
It was not clear whether Trump was referring to financial and food aid given to the North Korean regime in exchange for Pyongyang's commitment to curb its nuclear programs.
Meanwhile,Defence Secretary James Mattis has opted for diplomatic talks and has said the U.S. is "never out of diplomatic solutions" for dealing with North Korean aggression."We're never out of diplomatic solutions.