BICOM

Israel’s Foreign Ministry condemned North Korea’s hydrogen bomb test and called for a “firm international response” to stop the nuclear weapons programme.

On Monday, the Ministry said that “the test constitutes yet another example of North Korea’s aggressive pattern of behaviour” and that “North Korea must comply with all of the Security Council resolutions and refrain from testing and developing weapons of mass destruction and the means to launch them”. Signalling a link to other proliferation concerns, the Ministry added that a “decisive international response will prevent other countries from behaving in a similar manner”.

US President Donald Trump said that North Korea’s “words and actions continue to be very hostile and dangerous to the United States,” adding that “North Korea is a rogue nation which has become a great threat and embarrassment to China, which is trying to help but with little success”.

Sunday’s nuclear test was North Korea sixth since 2006 and South Korea warned yesterday that there were signs the country is preparing another missile launch, similar to the intercontinental ballistic missile fired over Japan last week.In response to the nuclear test South Korea’s military simulated a missile attack on the North’s nuclear test site, which included the navy carrying out a live-fire combat exercise.

North Korea’s relationship with Iran is a major concern for the international community. According to WikiLeaks, Iran and North Korea have been sharing nuclear materials and know-how for well over a decade. Iran also has opened ballistic missile factories in Syria with the help of Russia and North Korea.

One senior US official currently handling the Iranian and North Korean nuclear portfolios told Free Beacon that “the history of collaboration between North Korea and Iran has been an ongoing concern and needs to be watched closely,” warning that the West has been “labouring under the false assumption that these oppressive regimes are rational and that we can persuade them to act for the greater good”.

The head of North Korea’s parliament arrived last weekend in Iran for a 10-day visit aimed at boosting ties between the two countries.

Yesterday the UN Security Council met for an emergency session where it’s members called for further sanctions against North Korea.