North Korea’s nuclear test breach of international obligations: United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres speaks during a conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah, on August 29, 2017. (Photos by AFP)

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has once again called on North Korea to cease it illegal actions after Pyongyang announced the testing of a hydrogen bomb.

On Sunday, Guterres condemned the act as “yet another serious breach of the country's international obligations.”

“The secretary general reiterates his call on the DPRK leadership to cease such acts and to comply fully with its international obligations under relevant Security Council resolutions,” said a statement released by the secretary general’s office.

The test was also slammed by the head of the UN atomic agency, who called it “an extremely regrettable act.”    

“This new test, which follows the two tests last year and is the sixth since 2006, is in complete disregard of the repeated demands of the international community,” said Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano.

“Once again, I strongly urge the DPRK to fully implement all relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and the IAEA,” he added.

The test was also decried by, China, South Korea, Russia, and France.

UNSC to meet over North Korea's tests

Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council has announced that it will be meeting on Monday morning to discuss North Korea’s tests by the request of the United States, Japan, Britain, France, and South Korea.

Earlier on Sunday, North Korea announced that it has conducted a “successful” hydrogen bomb test, hours after two tremors were detected in the country.

The announcement was made after North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that the country had developed a hydrogen bomb that could be loaded onto a new intercontinental ballistic missile.

This screen grab image taken from North Korean broadcaster KCTV on September 3, 2017 shows the North's favorite newsreader Ri Chun-Hee announcing, from an unknown location, the news that the country had successfully tested a hydrogen bomb. North Korea declared itself a thermonuclear power on September 3, 2017, after carrying out a sixth nuclear test more powerful than any it has previously detonated.

Russia, China unite against North

After Pyongyang’s test, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping agreed on the importance of deescalating the situation on the Korean Peninsula, saying they would “appropriately deal with” North Korea’s sixth and most powerful nuclear test.

“The two leaders agreed to stick to the goal of denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula and to maintain close communication and coordination to deal with the new situation,” said a statement released by China, where the two leaders met for a BRICS summit.

South Korea, the US, and Japan have been unnerved by the North’s weapons programs, which Pyongyang has been defiantly advancing as countermeasures to their hostility.