UN considers imposing sanctions on North Korea

On January 6, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the thermonuclear bomb (also known as H-bomb) test that North Korea announced it had conducted that morning.

South Korean soldiers watch a television news report on earthquake tremors near North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear test site at a station in Seoul. (Source: AFP/VNA)

Speaking to reporters ahead of an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss the issue, Ban Ki-moon stressed that Pyongyang must immediately stop any similar nuclear actions.

Also speaking ahead of the UN Security Council meeting, British Ambassador to the United Nations Matthew Rycroft said the Security Council would consider a resolution imposing additional sanctions on North Korea following the incident.

Meanwhile, on January 6, the German government condemned the nuclear test and said it had summoned the North Korean ambassador to ask for an explanation of the incident.

A VNA reporter in Berlin quoted the German Foreign Ministry's announcement saying that Berlin would condemn in the strongest terms if North Korea's nuclear test is confirmed.

Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier stated that North Korea's nuclear program as well as its repeated nuclear tests are the most serious threat to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and a blow to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

According to the German leader, by continuing to violate UN Security Council resolutions, North Korea has gone against the principles of the international community, endangering regional and international security.

Berlin called on Pyongyang to act in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions and return to the negotiating table. Foreign Minister Steinmeier also summoned the North Korean ambassador in Berlin to clarify the information.

According to the German Foreign Ministry, there is no guarantee that North Korea has tested an H-bomb. The conclusion must await assessments from measuring stations.

According to a VNA reporter in New Delhi, India on the same day also expressed concern over the above information and called on Pyongyang to exercise restraint and not take actions that could affect regional peace and stability.

The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement stating: "The above test is contrary to the spirit of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and violates North Korea's responsibility under United Nations Security Council resolutions 1718 (2006), 1874 (2009), 2087 (2013).

Indonesia calls on all parties to respect the above resolutions and promote diplomatic measures in creating an environment of peace, stability and development in the region.

According to VIETNAM+