N.Korea Claims Nuclear Fusion 'Breakthrough'

North Korea has created a nuclear fusion reaction with its own technology, the official Rodong Sinmun daily claimed Wednesday. Nuclear fusion is related to the production of hydrogen bombs.

The U.S. tested its first H-bomb in 1952, seven years after it developed atomic bombs. The North conducted its first nuclear test in October 2006.

In a front-page story, the paper said scientists "have achieved brilliant success in nuclear fusion reaction." "It brought a solid breakthrough toward the development of new energy." No country has yet managed to put nuclear fusion-based power generation to commercial use.

A senior South Korean government official said the report is "preposterous."

On past showing elsewhere, it would seem possible to accumulate H-bomb technology about three to four years after developing an A-bomb.

Lee Chun-geun, a researcher at the Science & Technology Policy Institute, said, "North Korea is conducting research on developing nuclear weapons with enhanced explosive power by putting some elements that trigger nuclear fusion into A-bombs."