Kim Jong-un bragged his regime had successfully carried out the country’s most powerful ever nuclear test by detonating a massive hydrogen bomb on Sunday.
The test caused outrage across the globe and increased fears military action may have to be taken against the hermit state.
But, according to South Korea’s Nuclear Safety and Security Commission, no radionuclides have been discovered during tests of air, water and soil samples.
The Commission's findings have poured doubt over Pyongyang's alleged test with North Korea’s radiation levels also said to be at their normal level.
South Korea said it had used planes, ships and radiation detectors to monitor samples in the atmosphere.
And samples taken in China and Japan have also failed to pick up any unusual radiation levels.
It has raised speculation North Korea may have bluffed about the nature of its test in a bid to ramp up tensions on the Korean peninsula.
However, data from the weekend did show a huge underground missile test had taken place at the Punggye-ri test site, triggering a magnitude 6.3 earthquake.
It comes as France’s defence minister dramatically claimed Europe could be in range of any North Korean missile strike.
Speaking to the French military, defence minister Florence Parly said: ”The scenario of an escalation towards a major conflict can not be discarded.
"Europe risks being within range of (North Korean President) Kim Jong Un's missiles sooner than expected.”
Despite threats of military action by the US, British Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said the Americans wanted to "absolutely exhaust every possible avenue” to resolve the situation diplomatically.
Sir Michael said global powers would leave "no stone unturned" in the coming days to find a resolution.
He spoke as Russian president Vladimir Putin called for talks with Kim Jong-Un's North Korean regime, stressing that sanctions were not a solution.
US President Donald Trump has threatened to unleash "fire and fury" on North Korea.
But Sir Michael told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The United States is perfectly entitled to make all the preparations it needs to protect its people, its bases, its own homeland, and they are clearly doing that at the moment to make sure the president has all the options that he needs.
"But equally, Secretary Mattis and I and others across the administration are very clear that we have to absolutely exhaust every possible diplomatic avenue to get this situation under control now.”
0 Response to "Was North Korea nuclear test a hoax? Shock claim NO radioactive material discovered - Express.co.uk"
Post a Comment