Rogue state North Korea claims to have tested its first hydrogen bomb in a move the Turnbull government has condemned as a threat to “peace and security … in our region and beyond”. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop joined much of the world in swiftly slamming the latest provocation by North Korea, vowing to join allies in slapping further sanctions on the already deeply isolated nation. Experts said the test ratcheted up tension across Asia and could fuel an arms race in the region. A nuclear blast of some type – the fourth by the regime – was all but confirmed by United States observations of a magnitude 5.1 earthquake in the same area where previous tests have been carried out in the Korean peninsula’s north-east.

… Michael Raska, of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said sanctions had proven not to work well. He said the US needed to change its policy of “strategic patience”. In the meantime, other countries would bolster their military capabilities, including possibly through nuclear shields, he said.