S. Korean right-wing activists burn N. Korean flags and Kim Jong Il's picture, protesting against N. Korea's nuclear test and missile launch. -- PHOTO: BLOOMBERG
SEOUL - NORTH Korea conducted a second nuclear test on Monday drawing global condemnation.
US President Barack Obama said Pyongyang's bid to develop nuclear weapons was a threat to international peace and security and the international community would need to respond.
The North's neighbour and long-time benefactor, China, said it was 'resolutely opposed' to the test.
Russia, which called the test a threat to regional security, said the blast was about equal in power to the US atom bomb dropped on the Japanese city of Nagasaki in World War Two, or about 20 times larger than the North's one kiloton test in 2006.
'North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes pose a grave threat to the peace and security of the world, and I strongly condemn their reckless action,' Mr Obama said at the White House. 'The United States and the international community must take action in response.'
Officials in Washington and Beijing said North Korea had warned their governments of the test about an hour before detonation but nearby Japan said it was not given advance notice.
Germany, France, Britain and the EU were among those condemning Pyongyang's act, while UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon said he was 'deeply worried'.
Nato called for North Korea to refrain from raising tensions further. 'These irresponsible actions by Pyongyang pose a serious challenge to peace, security and stability in the Asia-Pacific region,' the Nato statement said.
Analysts said the North Korea's test also will force Washington to acknowledge that its leverage over the unpredictable state is at best limited.
The United States must hope China will put pressure on Pyongyang, despite its fear of destabilising its poor, secretive neighbour. -- REUTERS
