The nuclear behemoth that is North Korea recently claimed to have tested a hydrogen bomb. This, allegedly, had happened on a Tuesday morning in January, Pyongyang time near the northeastern border North Korea shares with China and Russia (this had set off a sizable 5.1 magnitude earthquake). Since then, nuclear powers like the U.S., China, Russia, and the U.K. have come out against North Korea’s “H-bomb test” in resolute force. People like President Obama and Vladimir Putin told the Guardian that they found it to be difficult to put their trust in this claim.

One of North Korea’s only allies, China, their response to this was put simply but firmly that they would be working with the international community on the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, according to the New York Times. South Korea was more adamant in saying, “Our government strongly condemns North Korea ignoring repeated warnings from us and the international community and pushing ahead with the fourth nuclear test, which clearly violated the UN resolutions”, according to the Seoul Times. It looks like South Korea is now stepping in to show everyone that they shouldn’t take this as a “business as usual” situation.

In the time after the world was being shaken up with everyone’s input on how to handle this “not-to-be business as usual” situation, Kim Jong-un responded. He stated that it was only a smaller version of an H-bomb they accomplished but, that it was “capable of wiping out the U.S.”, according to CNN. After further review, CNN also reported that North Korea might actually have attempted to test components of a hydrogen bomb. There has been no final conclusion made about this situation so it may very well be an actual hydrogen bomb (although, the U.S. definitely disagrees, and doesn’t accept North Korea’s claim).

Therefore, since no one can come to a verdict, the world still has to act – whether to punish, disapprove or investigate more – someone needs to do something. That’s where South Korea comes in to show everyone how it’s done (again). In an attempt to aggravate the North, South Korea has been sending anti-propaganda broadcasts over the border. These broadcasts consist of news, pop music and mainly programming that challenges the North’s government more directly. It has gone so far as to have provoked North Korea into warning South Korea of war if they didn’t stop. Fortunately, other countries have been supportive of South Korea’s actions against this dictatorship-led country basking in the spotlight.

North Korea has been one to show off its guns a lot, and this the fourth time since 2006 that it has done something like set off an atomic bomb with little restraint, let alone a hydrogen bomb (if it really is one). The question right now is how concerned should we be? This announcement had come as a shock to everyone at the time (especially South Korea who blasted that stereo in order to combat North Korea). After all has been looked into and done, we have gathered more information about North Korea’s claim and it gets harder to come to the conclusion that North Korea did in fact set off a hydrogen bomb. Hopefully, the world can sleep better at night, now knowing that North Korea is still a ways off from “wiping out” any country.