Pyongyang, Sep. 10 (IANS): North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called the sixth nuclear test carried out by his country last week a great victory and praised the officials and experts responsible for it, state news agency KCNA reported on Sunday.
On September 3, the North Korean army claimed it had successfully detonated a hydrogen bomb that was capable of being mounted on an intercontinental ballistic missile. Celebrations were held in Pyongyang on Saturday to mark the success of the test and the 69th anniversary of the founding of North Korea where Kim Jong-Un said the nuclear test was a “great victory won by the Korean people at the cost of their blood”, Efe reported.
In images released by KCNA, Kim Jong-un is seen sharing a table with North Korea’s top brass, including army Vice Marshal Hwang Pyong-so, Workers’ Party Vice Chairman Choe Ryong-hae and Premier Pak Pong-ju.
Kim, who was welcomed with a standing ovation, raised a toast to and praised the engineers for their contribution to a great auspicious event in the history of North Korea, in a reference to the test that had met with widespread condemnation globally and heightened tension on the Korean Peninsula.
The North Korean state media also reported on Sunday that a concert was held at the national theatre in Pyongyang, attended by the leader and his wife Ri Sol-ju, in honour of the scientists and military personnel who were involved in the nuclear test.
State television network KCTV visuals showed the audience fervently applauding Kim, who was accompanied by two prominent leaders of the regime’s nuclear programme, Hong Sung-mu and Ri Man-gon.
The state media also took advantage of the anniversary celebrations of the founding of North Korea on Saturday to justify its status as an “invincible nuclear nation”.
The newspaper of North Korea’s ruling Workers Party, Rodong Sinmun, reported that the Kim Jong-un regime will continue to develop nuclear weapons to boost the country’s security.
Meanwhile, the US called for a UN Security Council meeting on Monday to vote on a resolution on “additional sanctions” against North Korea for its latest nuclear test. The proposal includes banning the sale of oil to North Korea, textile exports and vetoing North Korean citizens working abroad, from where the regime earns a substantial income.
