N.Korea conducts suspected nuke test

By Alex Jensen

SEOUL (AA) – North Korea is “presumed” to have carried out its sixth ever nuclear test, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Sunday.

Seoul’s military reported a 5.6 magnitude “artificial earthquake” in the same Punggye-ri area as the North’s known test site.

A similar detection preceded confirmation of North Korea’s previous nuke tests – two of which came last year.

The United States Geological Survey recorded Sunday’s quake as a magnitude 6.3 tremor, making it bigger than any of the North’s past tests.

Pyongyang is likely to incur greater international punishment, although the United Nations Security Council only recently strengthened sanctions following two North Korean ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) launches in July.