Have you ever wanted to live under the constant fear of being completely annihilated by our North Korean foes? Well now you can! The North Korean government on Friday, September 9, confirmed that the nation tested its 5th nuclear bomb: A seismic surge that had a measured magnitude of 5 originated from the Punggye-ri in the northeastern part of the country.

Progress has been made by North Korea on their nuclear program since their first detonation in 2006, which yielded a 1 kiloton blast, with the most recent test yielding an estimated 10-20 kiloton blast. Along with their nuclear program, North Korea has also supposedly made many advances in their ballistic missile development. According to the North Korean officials, they have successfully developed a missile that is capable of reaching the continental US from the Korean peninsula. They have also successfully launched a missile from a submarine, which gives North Korea the capability to fire a nuclear warhead anywhere around the world. Although the threat of nuclear destruction from the rogue nation is great, the bomb dropped on Hiroshima by the US in 1945 was 15 kilotons.

This nuclear test came just as President Obama ended his Asian tour where he attended the G20 economic summit in China. World leaders discussed many topics including the threat that North Korea presents to the world.

As a result of the North’s test on Friday, South Korea’s Prime Minister,  Hwang Kyo-ahn, called for an emergency meeting with top security officials while the president, Park Geunhye, came back early from a trip to Laos. Both the US and Russia condemned the North for their nuclear tests. France, another nuclear power, has also condemned North Korea for the first time for their nuclear testing. North Korea’s only ally, China, also condemned the actions of the North but they are to take little action against the nation.

The test has also received backlash from the United Nations. The North has been under U.N. sanctions since 2006. However, many Western countries including the US, UK, and France have proposed new sanctions against North Korea for defying U.N. security council resolutions: which is considered breaking international law. U.N. Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, stated that North Korea’s nuclear test is a breach of U.N. resolutions and that the Security Council must take immediate and urgent action.

Along with their condemnation, the US flew two B-1B Lancing Bombers, which are capable of nuclear warfare, around the demilitarized zone. The US show of force received criticism from the North as the regime called their bombers a bluff.

Despite how powerful each side is, this nuclear test is no doubt in people’s minds. In an interview conducted with Brendan Rishavy (an experienced member of the AAHS Speech and Debate team), he commented, “If they are successful, North Korea would have increased say in the political landscape, which is concerning. If obtained, North Korea would use mutually assured destruction as a means to gain concessions from another nation, however, launching them would be a very bad misstep.”

Although they could barter with other countries for their own interest, North Korea most likely will not use their nuclear weapons. The main reason as to why they will not attack is because they know that they will lose. Although an invasion of South Korea by the North would be disastrous, the combined forces of the South Korean military and the United States military, the most technologically advanced and most powerful in the world, could fight off the North and topple the dictatorship. Although unlikely, the United States military has 28,500 soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen stationed in the South. They have also recently deployed a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense in South Korea (THAAD), which is an anti-ballistic missile system capable of shooting down any ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads on them before they reach their destination. There is also a system set up in Guam which will also deter the threat of a North Korean attack. Thanks to the measures taken by the United States government, the threat of a nuclear attack from the Korean Peninsula on the US mainland has been almost entirely eliminated.