Published time: 9 Sep, 2016 06:43
Edited time: 9 Sep, 2016 08:26

https://www.rt.com/news/358745-north-korea-nuclear-reactions/

Countries across the world have responded to North Korea’s fifth nuclear test, which Pyongyang confirmed earlier on Friday. China has urged restraint, while Washington has warned of “serious consequences.”

China’s official news agency, Xinhua, announced on Friday that all international parties should exercise restraint in the region following the nuclear test, stressing that no country will benefit from chaos or war on the Korean peninsula.

It acknowledged that North Korea’s action was “not wise,” but also noted that Seoul’s recent decision to deploy an advanced US anti-missile system had also damaged stability in the region.

China’s foreign ministry later said in a statement that it is opposed to the North’s most recent nuclear test, while strongly urging Pyongyang to avoid taking any further action that could worsen the situation.

It went on to state that Beijing will stick to its goal of denuclearizing the Korean peninsula and still supports the six-party talks process to resolve the issue.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Beijing would lodge a diplomatic protest with North Korea's embassy.

Moscow expressed concern over the test and Pyongyang’s continuing defiance of UN resolutions.

“We are very concerned with the test. UN Security Council resolutions must be observed,” Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

US President Barack Obama said that any provocative actions by North Korea will have “serious consequences.” He reiterated Washington’s commitment to safeguarding the security of its allies in Asia and across the world, White House press secretary John Earnest said in a statement.

Seoul was also quick to respond to the nuclear test, with President Park Geun-hye accusing North Korean leader Kim Jong-un of “maniacal recklessness” for pursuing nuclear weapons despite the severe UN sanctions already imposed on his country, Reuters reported.

South Korea is reportedly set to hold consultations with the US and Japan regarding the North’s newest nuclear activity.

“Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, now traveling in Laos with President Park Geun-hye, is seeking to have consultations with close allies,” a senior South Korean official told Yonhap, adding that Yun will speak with US Secretary of State John Kerry and Japanese Foreign Minister Fumoi Kishida via phone.

The Japanese government has lodged an official protest against the nuclear test, which was sent to Pyongyang via Chinese diplomatic channels, Kyodo News Agency reported.

A meeting of senior Japanese officials, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has also been scheduled, the Japan Times reported.

The office of the French president has also slammed the nuclear test, saying in a statement that it “vigorously condemns the new nuclear test that was conducted last night by North Korea and calls the United Nations’ Security Council to take up this violation of its resolutions.”

Pyongang confirmed the nuclear test on Friday, announcing that it is now capable of mounting nuclear warheads on ballistic rockets. The test appears to be the most powerful ever conducted by North Korea’s nuclear program, according to South Korea’s defense ministry.

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IZAKOVIC