2009 North Korean nuclear test

2009 North Korean nuclear test
2009 North Korean nuclear test
	Graphic from the United States Geological Survey showing the location of seismic activity at the time of the test
Information
Country	North Korea
Test site	41°18′22″N 129°01′44″E / 41.306°N 129.029°E, Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site, Kilju County.
Period	09:54:43, 25 May 2009 KST
Number of tests	1
Test type	Underground
Device type	Fission
Max. yield	2.4 kilotons of TNT (10 TJ) (Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organization Preparatory Commission); 2.35 kt (9.8 TJ) (Estimation from Chinese academics); 5.1–8.9 kt (21–37 TJ) (Estimations from University of Science and Technology of China); 5.4 kt (23 TJ) (Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources estimates in Jan 2016), which was revised from earlier estimates at 13 kt (54 TJ) in 2013; 10–20 kt (42–84 TJ) (Russian estimates); 1–20 kt (4.2–83.7 TJ) (South Korea Defense Minister estimates); 3–8 kt (13–33 TJ) (Analyst Martin Kalinowski at the University of Hamburg); 2–6 kt (8.4–25.1 TJ), but likely less than 4 kt (17 TJ) (Hans M. Kristensen of the Federation of American Scientists);
Test chronology
	← 2006 test 2013 test →

2km
1.2miles

South

West

East

North portal

6

5

4

3

2

1

Location of North Korea's nuclear tests^[9]^[10]
1: 2006; 2: 2009; 3: 2013; 4: 2016-01; 5: 2016-09; 6: 2017;

V

The 2009 North Korean nuclear test was the underground detonation of a nuclear device conducted on Monday, 25 May 2009 by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.^[11] This was its second nuclear test, the first test having taken place in October 2006.^[12] Following the nuclear test, Pyongyang also conducted several missile tests. A scientific paper later estimated the yield as 2.35 kilotons.^[3]

The test was nearly universally condemned by the international community. Following the test, the United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 1874 condemning the test and tightening sanctions on the country.^[13]

It was widely believed that the test was conducted as a result of the succession crisis in the country.^[14]^[15]^[16]^[17] After Kim Jong-Il suffered a stroke in the summer of 2008, arrangements were made for his third son, Kim Jong-un, to take power upon his death.^[14]^[18] It is believed the North Koreans conducted the nuclear test to show that, even in a time of possible weakness, it did not intend to give up its nuclear weapons program.^[14]^[17]

^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference USGS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference usgov was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b Lian‐Feng Zhao, Xiao‐Bi Xie, Wei‐Min Wang, Zhen‐Xing Yao, "Yield Estimation of the 25 May 2009 North Korean Nuclear Explosion Archived 14 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine", Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, April 2012 vol. 102 no. 2 467–478. doi:10.1785/0120110163
^ Cite error: The named reference USTC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Nordkorea: BGR registriert vermutlichen Kernwaffentest Archived 1 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine – BGR, 6 January 2016
^ Nordkorea: BGR registriert vermutlichen Kernwaffentest Archived 16 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine – BGR (In German), 12 February 2013
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference nytimes_sang-hun was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference Martin was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "Search Results". USGS.
^ "North Korea's Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site: Analysis Reveals Its Potential for Additional Testing with Significantly Higher Yields". 38North. 10 March 2017.
^ North Korea conducts nuclear test Archived 23 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine. BBC. 25 May 2009.
^ Kim, Sam. N. Korea appears to have conducted nuclear test: source Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Yonhap New Agency. 2009/05/25.
^ MacFarquhar, Neil (12 June 2009). "U.N. Security Council Adopts Stiffer Curbs on North Korea". NYT. Archived from the original on 31 May 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c Powell, Bill (22 June 2009). "North Korea: The Coldest War". TIME. Archived from the original on 15 June 2009. Retrieved 17 June 2009.
^ Snyder, Scott (25 May 2009). "Second Nuclear Test: North Korea Does What It Says". Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2009.
^ AFP (10 June 2009). "North Korea's nuclear tests 'linked to succession plans'". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 1 January 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2009.
^ ^a ^b Fackler, Martin (25 May 2009). "Test Delivers a Message for Domestic Audience". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 22 June 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2009.
^ Sanger, David E.; Mark Mazzetti and Choe Sang-hun (2 June 2009). "North Korean Leader Is Said to Pick a Son as Heir". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2009.

[USGS-1] Cite error: The named reference USGS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[usgov-2] Cite error: The named reference usgov was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Zhao-3] Lian‐Feng Zhao, Xiao‐Bi Xie, Wei‐Min Wang, Zhen‐Xing Yao, "Yield Estimation of the 25 May 2009 North Korean Nuclear Explosion Archived 14 September 2016 at the Wayback Machine", Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, April 2012 vol. 102 no. 2 467–478. doi:10.1785/0120110163

[USTC-4] Cite error: The named reference USTC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[BGRJan2016-5] Nordkorea: BGR registriert vermutlichen Kernwaffentest Archived 1 September 2017 at the Wayback Machine – BGR, 6 January 2016

[BGR2013-6] Nordkorea: BGR registriert vermutlichen Kernwaffentest Archived 16 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine – BGR (In German), 12 February 2013

[nytimes_sang-hun-7] Cite error: The named reference nytimes_sang-hun was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Martin-8] Cite error: The named reference Martin was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[USGS_Punggye-ri-9] "Search Results". USGS.

[38North_Punggye-ri-10] "North Korea's Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site: Analysis Reveals Its Potential for Additional Testing with Significantly Higher Yields". 38North. 10 March 2017.

[bbc-11] North Korea conducts nuclear test Archived 23 November 2016 at the Wayback Machine. BBC. 25 May 2009.

[yonhap-12] Kim, Sam. N. Korea appears to have conducted nuclear test: source Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Yonhap New Agency. 2009/05/25.

[nyt-sanctions-13] MacFarquhar, Neil (12 June 2009). "U.N. Security Council Adopts Stiffer Curbs on North Korea". NYT. Archived from the original on 31 May 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2009.

[time-14] Powell, Bill (22 June 2009). "North Korea: The Coldest War". TIME. Archived from the original on 15 June 2009. Retrieved 17 June 2009.

[globalsecurity-15] Snyder, Scott (25 May 2009). "Second Nuclear Test: North Korea Does What It Says". Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2009.

[independent-16] AFP (10 June 2009). "North Korea's nuclear tests 'linked to succession plans'". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 1 January 2011. Retrieved 3 October 2009.

[nyt-fackler-17] Fackler, Martin (25 May 2009). "Test Delivers a Message for Domestic Audience". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 22 June 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2009.

[nyt-sanger-18] Sanger, David E.; Mark Mazzetti and Choe Sang-hun (2 June 2009). "North Korean Leader Is Said to Pick a Son as Heir". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 3 October 2009.

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