South Korea detects small amount of xenon after North Korea nuclear test

Over the hills by Gimpo city bordering the North, broadcasts from one of 11 banks of high-power speakers set up along the border spared no criticism of leader Kim Jong Un, who was believed to have turned 33 on Friday.

Marathon talks by the Koreas in August eased anger and stopped the broadcasts, which Seoul started after blaming North Korean land mines for maiming two South Korean soldiers.

– Seoul’s spy agency quickly disputes North Korea’s claim, saying that the seismic event was too small for an H-bomb, which is dramatically more destructive than an atomic bomb, but also much more hard to make.

Friday’s moves came as the worldwide community struggled to find common ground on how best to penalize North Korea following its announcement two days ago that it had successfully tested its first hydrogen bomb. But South Korea sees K-pop and propaganda as quick ways to show its displeasure – and a guaranteed way to get a rise from the North’s sensitive and proud leadership. For the measure to become law, it would have to pass both the House and Senate and be signed by President Barack Obama.

CNN, the only US broadcaster operating in the country, spoke to North Koreans at the newly-opened Science and Technology Center, which is the public face of the government’s push to develop its technological and scientific capabilities. “Today, in my conversation with the Chinese, I made it very clear that has not worked and we can not continue business as usual”.

“They are not going to be bothered if the ordinary people of North Korea suffer because [new] sanctions hurt the economy”.

Ministry officials refused to elaborate about what us military assets were under consideration, but they likely refer to B-52 bombers, F-22 stealth fighters and nuclear-powered submarines.

The latest tensions in the region follow North Korea’s allegedly successful underground test of a hydrogen bomb.

Diplomats at a U.N. Security Council emergency session pledged to swiftly pursue new sanctions. North Korea has been placed under a barrage of strong economic sanctions related to its nuclear program in the last few decades. The broadcasts previously drew a furious response from the North and, according to Seoul, touched off an exchange of artillery fire.

Hammond said on a visit to Japan on Friday that he understands why South Korea feels the need to respond to North Korea’s nuclear test earlier this week.

Now former US Army psychological warfare officer Scott Bennett tells Press TV that the United States may have inflated North Korea’s claim of an H-bomb test for any future response on the part of Washington. “The main objective is to persuade the United States to enter into four-country negotiations to end the war so that there can be everlasting peace on the Korean peninsula”, the source said. However, the call had been delayed due to China’s “internal scheduling”, it said, citing an unnamed official.

The United States is pressing China to end “business as usual” with its North Korean ally, but in Yanji, 30 km (19 miles) from the border and home to many ethnic Koreans, the mood was one of resigned scepticism.

The presence of xenon would not indicate whether the blast was from a hydrogen device or a simpler fission explosion. Other nations may either have it or are working on it, despite a worldwide effort to contain such proliferation.

North Koreans are prohibited from listening to K-pop.