N. Korea hails ‘successful’ nuclear test: state TV

Pyongyang (AFP) – North Korea has conducted a “successful” fifth nuclear test, state-run TV said Friday, in an explosion described by the South as Pyongyang’s largest-ever such blast.

“Our nuclear scientists staged a nuclear explosion test on a newly developed nuclear warhead at the country’s northern nuclear test site,” a TV announcer said.  

“Our… party sent a congratulatory message to our nuclear scientists… for conducting the successful nuclear warhead explosion test,” she said.

North Korea also said its latest nuclear test had confirmed that it could mount a nuclear warhead on a rocket.

“The nuclear test finally… confirmed the structure and specific features… of a nuclear warhead that has been standardised to be able to be mounted on strategic ballistic rockets,” the state-run Korean Central News Agency said.