North Korea announced on Sunday morning that it had “successfully” detonated a hydrogen bomb which sparked a huge 6.3 magnitude artificial earthquake in the region.
United States President, Donald Trump was quick to condemn the action, as the billionaire tweeted: “Their words and actions continue to be very hostile and dangerous to the United States. North Korea is a rogue nation which has become a great threat.”
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Patricia Lewis, who served on the WMD Commission, claimed that the missile was a massive “step up” for Kim Jong-un’s state.
She said: “It’s much more sophisticated. That type of bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki as you rightly say was a fusion bomb.
“It uses uranium and plutonium. A hydrogen or a thermonuclear bomb uses that, as the first stage, it then focuses the energy down to the second stage, which is using fusion material which is very light. Hydrogen, helium, lithium isotopes.
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“This allows a much greater explosion. It also means that as the materials are lighter you can miniaturise more readily for the same explosion.
It also increases the amount of explosive power and it suggests their technical capability that is much more advanced”.
Ms Lewis admitted that tests would need to be taken to see whether North Korea’s claims on developing a hydrogen bomb are true.
She added: “We will have to see. It was a much bigger explosion than before.
“It is also possible that it was a boosted fusion device… Which is not the same as a hydrogen bomb. This does seem from what they have said that this was a two stage weapon – if that is the case then it would be a big step up.”
Her comments come as North Korea are reportedly preparing the launch of a ballistic missile, as war tensions reach a breaking point leading to fears of World War 3.
South Korea’s defence ministry said in a parliament hearing that it was detecting signs that Pyongyang plans to stage more ballistic missile launches.
Chang Kyung-soo, a defence ministry official, said: “We have continued to see signs of possibly more ballistic missile launches. We also forecast North Korea could fire an intercontinental ballistic missile.”
Pyongyang claimed that Sunday’s detonation, which the South measured at 50 kilotons, was the test of a hydrogen bomb.
US defence secretary Jim Mattis hit back, saying the US will answer any threat from the North with a “massive military response – a response both effective and overwhelming”.