Tensions and arms, rising swiftly on the Korean Peninsula

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea conducted its fifth and biggest nuclear test on Friday, when the country observed the 68th anniversary of its founding, and it claimed it has mastered the ability to mount a warhead on a ballistic missile.

In a statement issued on Friday, the United Nations Security Council strongly condemned the DPRK's latest test, calling it a clear threat to international peace and security.

The DPRK has sped up development of its nuclear and missile programs this year - in UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's words, an "accelerating spiral of escalation" - in defiance of several Security Council resolutions.