List of nuclear weapons tests of North Korea

| underground

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000010000|0.7–2 kt}}

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• Possibly a fizzle. East Tunnel approximately 1 km NE from the entrance.
• The Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, a state-run geology research institute in Germany, estimated the yield at 2 kilotons in 2013[http://www.bgr.bund.de/DE/Gemeinsames/Oeffentlichkeitsarbeit/Pressemitteilungen/BGR/bgr-130212_Kernwaffentest-Nordkorea.html Nordkorea: BGR registriert vermutlichen Kernwaffentest] – BGR (In German), 12 Feb 2013 but has since revised to 0.7 kt.[http://www.bgr.bund.de/DE/Gemeinsames/Oeffentlichkeitsarbeit/Pressemitteilungen/BGR/bgr-160106_nordkorea_BGR_kernwaffentest.html?nn=1542132 Nordkorea: BGR registriert vermutlichen Kernwaffentest] – BGR, 6 Jan 2016
• {{EQ-isc-link|11122002}}

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! rowspan="2"|(2){{anchor|(2)}}

| {{dts|2009|5|25|format=dmy}} 00:54:43

| style="text-align:center;" | KST
(+9 hrs) || Punggye-ri Test Site, North Korea {{coord|41.29142|129.08167|name=(2)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000850|}}{{convert|1340|m|abbr=on}}, {{convert|-490|m|abbr=on}}

| underground

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000040000|2–5.4 kt}}

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|colspan="8"|

• West Tunnel at about 1.2 km NW from the tunnel entrance.
• The Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, a state-run geology research institute in Germany, estimated the yield at 13 kt in 2013 but has since revised to 5.4 kt.
• {{EQ-isc-link|13439778}}

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!rowspan="2"| (3){{anchor|(3)}}

| {{dts|2013|2|12|format=dmy}} 02:57:51

| style="text-align:center;" | KST
(+9 hrs) || Punggye-ri Test Site, North Korea {{coord|41.26809|129.08076|name=(3)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000340|}}{{convert|1340|m|abbr=on}}, {{convert|-1000|m|abbr=on}}

| underground

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000070000|6–16 kt}}

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|colspan="8"|

• Likely the test took place in the West Tunnel. South tunnel damaged by flooding in 2012.
• The Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources, a state-run geology research institute in Germany, estimated the yield at 40 kilotons in 2013 but has since revised the yield as 14 kt.
• The University of Science and Technology of China estimates the yield at around 12.2 kt, with a margin of error of 3.8 kt.{{cite web|url=http://www.51jiwo.com/military/4350.html|title=Chinese underground nuclear test North Korea reached an unprecedented precision measurement|date=19 June 2013|access-date=14 July 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021114212/http://www.51jiwo.com/military/4350.html|archive-date=21 October 2013|df=dmy-all}} Hence the max yield could be 16 kt for this test.
• {{EQ-isc-link|602442896}}

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! rowspan="2"|(4){{anchor|(4)}}

| {{dts|2016|1|6|format=dmy}} 01:30:01

| style="text-align:center;" | PYT
(+8:30 hrs) || Punggye-ri Test Site, North Korea {{coord|41.30900|129.03399|name=(4)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000340|}}{{convert|1340|m|abbr=on}}, {{convert|-1000|m|abbr=on}}

| underground

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000100000|7–16.5 kt}}

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| {{cite news |date=6 January 2016 |title=North Korean carries out fourth nuclear test |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/06/north-korean-nuclear-test-suspected-as-artificial-earthquake-detected |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=6 January 2016}}{{cite news |date=6 January 2016 |title=North Korea Tests Nuclear Device, Claims Successful Thermonuclear Detonation|url=https://thediplomat.com/2016/01/north-korea-tests-nuclear-device-claims-successful-thermonuclear-detonation/ |newspaper=The Diplomat |access-date=6 January 2016}}

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• Claimed to be a hydrogen bomb.
• Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources has originally estimated the yield as 14kt but has since revised to 10kt.[http://www.bgr.bund.de/DE/Gemeinsames/Oeffentlichkeitsarbeit/Pressemitteilungen/BGR/bgr-160909_nordkorea_BGR_kernwaffentest.html?nn=1542132 Nordkorea: BGR registriert vermutlichen Kernwaffentest] – BGR (In German), 9 Sep 2016
• The University of Science and Technology of China estimates the yield at around 11.3 kt, with a margin of error of 4.2 kt.{{cite web|url=http://seis.ustc.edu.cn/en/201609/t20160909_253324.html|title=North Korea's January 6 2016 Nuclear Test Location and Yield: Seismic Results from USTC|date=6 January 2016|access-date=6 January 2016|archive-date=10 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510093826/http://seis.ustc.edu.cn/en/201609/t20160909_253324.html|url-status=dead}} Hence the max yield could be 16.5 kt for this test.
• {{EQ-isc-link|608143493}}

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!rowspan="2"| (5){{anchor|(5)}}

| {{dts|2016|9|9|format=dmy}} 00:30:01

| style="text-align:center;" | PYT
(+8:30 hrs) || Punggye-ri Test Site, North Korea {{coord|41.298|129.015|name=(5)|display=inline}}Location from seismic data, about 6.4 km west northwest Punggye-ri and locus of previous tests.

| {{sort|000340|}}{{convert|1340|m|abbr=on}}, {{convert|-1000|m|abbr=on}}

| underground

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000150000|15–25 kt}}

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| {{cite web|date=9 September 2016 |title=M5.3 Explosion – 19km ENE of Sungjibaegam, North Korea|url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us10006n8a#executive|publisher=United States Geological Survey |access-date=9 September 2016}}{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2016/sep/09/north-korea-nuclear-test-suspected-after-huge-seismic-explosion-detected-live|title=North Korea nuclear test: Japan confirms huge quake caused by explosion |newspaper=The Guardian|date=9 September 2016}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20160909130705/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-northkorea-nuclear-idUKKCN11F02D North Korea conducts fifth and largest nuclear test – South Korea and Japan] – Reuters, Sep 9, 2016 5:39am British Standard Time

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• North Korea announced that this is a successful test of a warhead that can be mounted onto a rocket.[http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_KOREAS_TENSIONS_THE_LATEST?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT The Latest: N. Korea Confirms 'Successful' Nuclear Test] – Associated Press, 2016 Sep 9, 12:52 AM EDT
• Siegfried S. Hecker, former director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, estimated yield at 15 to 25 kt.{{cite news |url=http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-north-korea-nuclear-bomb-20170809-story.html |title=North Korea has made a nuclear weapon small enough to fit on a missile. How worried should the world be? |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=9 August 2017 |access-date=18 August 2017}}
• Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources has initially estimated the yield as 25 kt.
• The University of Science and Technology of China estimates the yield at around 17.8 kt, with a margin of error of 5.9 kt.{{cite web|url=http://seis.ustc.edu.cn/en/201609/t20160909_253323.html|title=North Korea's September 9 2016 Nuclear Test Location and Yield: Seismic Results from USTC|date=10 September 2016|access-date=10 September 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919072026/http://seis.ustc.edu.cn/en/201609/t20160909_253323.html|archive-date=19 September 2016|df=dmy-all}}
• {{EQ-isc-link|0}}

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| {{dts|2017|9|3|format=dmy}} 03:30:01.940

| style="text-align:center;" | PYT
(+8:30 hrs) || Punggye-ri Test Site, North Korea {{coord|41.343|129.036|name=(2)|display=inline}}

| {{sort|000000|}}{{convert|1340|m|abbr=on}}, {{convert|0|m|abbr=on}}

| underground

| style="text-align:center;" | {{sort|000100000|70–280 kt}}

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| {{Cite web| url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us2000aert#executive| title=M 6.3 Explosion - 22km ENE of Sungjibaegam, North Korea}}{{Cite web| url=http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2017/09/03/0200000000AEN20170903002700315.html| title=N. Korea's apparent sixth nuke test estimated to have yield of 100 kilotons: lawmaker}}{{Cite web| url=https://www.norsar.no/press/latest-press-release/archive/large-nuclear-test-in-north-korea-on-3-september-2017-article1534-984.html| title=Large nuclear test in North Korea on 3 September 2017| access-date=3 September 2017| archive-date=4 September 2017| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904030147/https://www.norsar.no/press/latest-press-release/archive/large-nuclear-test-in-north-korea-on-3-september-2017-article1534-984.html| url-status=dead}}{{Cite web| url=https://translate.google.com/translate?depth=1&nv=1&rurl=translate.google.com.hk&sl=auto&sp=nmt4&tl=en&u=http://www.seismologie.bgr.de/sdac/erdbeben/kernexplosion/nkorea_20170903_deu.html| title=BGR registers a presumed nuclear test in North Korea}}{{Cite web| url=http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/news/a28057/north-korea-nuclear-test-expert/| title=Seismic Detective Weighs In on North Korea's Latest Nuclear Test| date=5 September 2017}}

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|colspan="8"|

• Claimed to be a hydrogen bomb (but may only be a boosted fission weapon rather than an actual staged Teller–Ulam thermonuclear weapon).{{cite news|last1=Buckley|first1=Chris|title=What's the Difference Between a Hydrogen Bomb and a Regular Atomic Bomb?|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/03/world/asia/north-korea-hydrogen-bomb.html|access-date=September 6, 2017|newspaper=New York Times|date=September 3, 2017}}
• On 3 September, South Korea’s weather agency, the Korea Meteorological Administration, estimated that the nuclear weapons blast yield of the presumed test was between 50 and 60 kilotons based on a magnitude 5.6 detection.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/03/north-korea-nuclear-test-what-we-know-so-far|title=North Korea nuclear test: what we know so far |newspaper=Guardian|date=3 September 2017}}
• South Korean Government's initial yield estimate is 100 kt, and it detected a 5.7 magnitude earthquake.{{cite news|title=The Latest: EU calls on U.N. to adopt further NK sanctions|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/newswires/news/business/latest-eu-calls-u-n-adopt-nk-sanctions-article-1.3465302|access-date=September 3, 2017|work=New York Daily News|agency=Associated Press|date=September 3, 2017}}
• NORSAR Seismology Center initial estimate is 120 kt, based on a magnitude 5.8 tremor. On 12 Sept 2017, this was revised to an estimate of 250 kt based on a magnitude 6.1 instead.
• The German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources estimate is "a few hundred kt", based on a 6.1 detected tremor. The Japan Meteorological Agency also detected a 6.1 magnitude tremor.{{cite news|title=North Korea tests most powerful nuclear bomb yet|url=http://www.abc2news.com/news/national/north-korea-tests-most-powerful-nuclear-bomb-yet?page=2|access-date=September 3, 2017|work=ABC|agency=CNN, Scripps National Desk|date=September 3, 2017}}
• from USGS: "[Magnitude] 6.3 Explosion ... Possible explosion, located near the site where North Korea has detonated nuclear explosions in the past. If this event was an explosion, the USGS National Earthquake Information Center cannot determine its type, whether nuclear or any other possible type." Depth and lat/lon location approximate.
• The China Earthquake Administration also detected a 6.3 magnitude earthquake.{{cite news|last1=Wen|first1=Philip|title=China Earthquake Administration detects 'suspected explosion' in North Korea|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-missiles-quake-china/china-earthquake-administration-detects-suspected-explosion-in-north-korea-idUSKCN1BE048|access-date=September 3, 2017|work=Reuters|publisher=Thomson Reuters|date=September 2, 2017}}
• The University of Science and Technology of China{{cite web|url=http://seis.ustc.edu.cn/_s223/2017/0904/c10084a191096/page.psp|title=North Korea's 3 September 2017 Nuclear Test Location and Yield: Seismic Results from USTC|work=Lianxing Wen's Geography|publisher=University of Science and Technology of China|access-date=4 September 2017|archive-date=4 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170904112205/http://seis.ustc.edu.cn/_s223/2017/0904/c10084a191096/page.psp|url-status=dead}} estimated the yield at 108.1 ± 48.1 kt.
• The Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences registered a 6.4 magnitude earthquake.{{cite news|title=North Korea likely to have conducted another nuclear test — Japanese TV|url=http://tass.com/world/963356|access-date=September 3, 2017|work=TASS|publisher=Government of Russia|date=September 3, 2017}}
• The Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory estimated 250 kilotons.
• Japanese Government: 160 kt.
• U.S. Intelligence/Air Force Technical Applications Center: 70 to 280 kilotons.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/north-korea-nuclear-test-maybe-have-been-twice-as-strong-as-first-thought/2017/09/13/19b026d8-985b-11e7-a527-3573bd073e02_story.html |title=North Korea nuclear test may have been twice as strong as first thought |author=Michelle Ye Hee Lee |newspaper=Washington Post |date=13 September 2017 |access-date=28 September 2017}} Earlier U.S. Intelligence had given an estimate of 140 kt with unspecified margin of error.
• Indian Space Research Organization analysis of satellite synthetic-aperture radar data found that explosion was at a depth of 542 ± 30 metres and the yield was 245–271 kt.{{cite journal |url=https://academic.oup.com/gji/article-abstract/220/1/345/5584343 |doi=10.1093/gji/ggz451 |title=Constraints on the location, depth and yield of the 2017 September 3 North Korean nuclear test from InSAR measurements and modelling |author1=K M Sreejith |author2=Ritesh Agrawal |author3=A S Rajawat |journal=Geophysical Journal International |publisher=Oxford University Press |volume=220 |issue=1 |pages=345–351 |date=January 2020 |access-date=15 November 2019|doi-access=free }}
• {{EQ-isc-link|0}}

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{{GeoGroup|section=Testing}}

{{reflist|group=note}}

{{clear|right}}

{{see also|List of nuclear weapons tests}}

| {{sort|0000|}}

| {{sort|0000|}}

| 0.7–250

| {{sort|0053|197.8}}

|style="text-align:left;" |

|- class="sortbottom"

!style="background:#efefef;" | Totals

|style="background:#efefef;" | 2006-Oct-9 to 2017-Sep-3

|style="background:#efefef;" | 6

|style="background:#efefef;" | 6

|style="background:#efefef;" |

|style="background:#efefef;" |

|style="background:#efefef;" |

|style="background:#efefef;" | 0.7–250

|style="background:#efefef;" | 197.8 (Based on average yield from lower to upper estimates as the Government of DPRK does not announce the exact yield.)

|style="background:#efefef;text-align:left;" | Total country yield is 0.036% of all nuclear testing.

|}

{{reflist|group=Summ}}

• North Korea and weapons of mass destruction

{{reflist|30em|refs=

{{cite web|publisher=USGS |date=9 October 2006 |title=Magnitude 4.7–North Korea |author=USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqinthenews/2006/ustqab/ |access-date=20 January 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427050803/http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqinthenews/2006/ustqab/ |archive-date=27 April 2014 }}

{{cite web|last=Kalinowski |first=Martin |date=25 May 2009 |title=Second nuclear test conducted by North Korea on 25 May 2009 |publisher=Arms Control Wonk |url=http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/file_download/177/Kalinowski.pdf |access-date=20 January 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090530033729/http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/file_download/177/Kalinowski.pdf |archive-date=30 May 2009 }}

{{cite web| publisher=USGS| date=26 May 2009| title=Magnitude 4.7–North Korea| author=USGS Earthquake Hazards Program| url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqinthenews/2009/us2009hbaf/| access-date=20 January 2014| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528075047/http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2009hbaf.php| archive-date=28 May 2009| df=dmy-all}}

{{cite web| url=https://www.armscontrol.org/act/2013_03/North-Korea-Conducts-Nuclear-Test| access-date=30 August 2014| title=North Korea Conducts Nuclear Test| first=Kelsey |last=Davenport| date=March 2013| publisher=Arms Control Association}}

}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{citation| last1=Yang| first1=Xiaoping| first2=Robert| last2=North| first3=Carl| last3=Romney| date=August 2000| title=CMR Nuclear Explosion Database (Revision 3)| publisher=SMDC Monitoring Research}}
• {{citation|title=Catalog of Worldwide Nuclear Testing |editor-last=Mikhailov |editor-first=V.N. |first1=LA |last1=Andryushi |first2=N.P. |last2=Voloshin |first3=R.I. |last3=Ilkaev |first4=A.M. |last4=Matushchenko |first5=L.D. |last5=Ryabev |first6=V.G. |last6=Strukov |first7=A.K. |last7=Chernyshev |first8=Yu.A. |last8=Yudin |url=http://www.iss-atom.ru/ksenia/catal_nt/ |access-date=4 March 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219131618/http://www.iss-atom.ru/ksenia/catal_nt/ |archive-date=19 December 2013 }}
• {{citation| title=Johnston Archive of Nuclear Weapons| author=Wm Robert Johnston, PhD| url=http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/nuclear/| access-date=31 December 2013}}

{{refend}}

{{Nuclear program of North Korea}}

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