Inside North Korea's New Science Facility; China Denounces North Korean Nuclear Test
KINKADE: For the second straight day, South Korea is blasting anti- Pyongyang propaganda across the DMZ at North Korea. The loudspeaker broadcasts started after the North claimed to have detonated a hydrogen bomb. In the past, the broadcasts have gone on for several days. On Friday, North Korean leaders said they are being pushed to the brink of war. Meanwhile, North Korea have released video of Kim Jung-un watching an apparatus submarine missile launch. South Korea claims the footage is old. The skepticism is not stopping North Koreans from celebrating the hydrogen bomb claim. And CNN is the only U.S. broadcaster reporting from inside the reclusive country. North Korean officials gave our Will Ripley an exclusive look at life there and its new science facility.</s>WILL RIPLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As the clock strikes midnight on Kim Jong-un's birthday, an eerie melody reminding North Koreans of the sacrifices of their leaders. Musical propaganda echoes through Pyongyang every day, every night, reinforcing a message of loyalty to the Supreme Leader. On the front page of North Korea's main state newspaper, Kim Jung-un signing the order to test what the regime calls a hydrogen bomb. Many outside observers question the claim. But there's no doubt among these students lined up outside Pyongyang's science and technology center; the North Koreans say we're the first foreign media to visit the brand new building.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It looks like a symbol of science.</s>RIPLEY (voice-over): North Korean researcher Lee Wong (ph) believes this week's nuclear test ensures peace, even as much of the world calls it a dangerous, provocative act.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is only for the self-defense.</s>RIPLEY: So do North Koreans want to be friends with Americans?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why not?</s>RIPLEY (voice-over): But the current political climate makes that impossible. Years of isolation began during the previous Kim regimes. Young future scientists, doctors and other students have little or no access to the Internet, only a state-controlled intranet.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you see a lot of students doing research here in the library and they're using North Korea's version of the iPad.</s>RIPLEY (voice-over): They study, surrounded by photos of their leaders.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The test number is 312.</s>RIPLEY (voice-over): And models of North Korean weapons.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It means that our nation is very powerful.</s>RIPLEY (voice-over): Medical student Lee Dushung (ph) sits beneath a replica of a rocket that launched a North Korean satellite into orbit.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is all for peaceful purpose. We don't want war.</s>RIPLEY (voice-over): But outside experts accuse North Korea's space program of being a front for ballistic missile development, missiles that could someday carry nuclear warheads across the region or even the world -- Will Ripley, CNN, Pyongyang, North Korea.</s>KINKADE: Pyongyang's nuclear claim is straining its ties with Beijing, which is North Korea's main ally. On Friday, South Korea's foreign minister spoke with his Chinese counterpart and reaffirmed his opposition to the nuclear test. Our Rivers has more.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Speaking foreign language).</s>MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With a breathless report, North Korea announced what it said was its latest nuclear test and once again drew the world's ire. Hydrogen bomb or not, the international community is condemning this latest action, including China, a spokeswoman denouncing the test at a daily briefing Wednesday. Yet China is North Korea's only major ally. And it's because of that relationship that many suggest China has more influence than anyone else, including a certain U.S. presidential candidate.</s>DONALD TRUMP, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You know, they say they don't have that much control over North Korea. They have total control because, without China, they wouldn't be able to eat. So China has to get involved and China should solve that problem and we should put pressure on China to solve the problem.</s>RIVERS (voice-over): Trump is right when he says that North Korea heavily relies on its neighbor. For example, China has an abundance of food while aids groups say North Korea consistently faces shortages. China provides an economic lifeline to North Korea by constantly sending food and fuel in order to keep the lights on and the people fed. The big question then, will China use that leverage to force North Korea to curtail its weapons ambitions?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a raging debate inside of the Chinese government about whether China should cut its losses and get rid of this alliance with North Korea. But so far, that has been the losing side.</s>RIVERS (voice-over): Still, there are signs of growing tension. President Xi Jinping has never met his North Korean counterpart, despite leaders from both countries regularly meeting in the past. China also says it was not warned of this latest test, something analysts called a clear insult. But to date, China has shown no signs of being ready to abandon the --</s>RIVERS (voice-over): -- North Korean dictator. Consider the repercussions. If Beijing were to cut aid and the regime collapsed -- and that's a big if -- China would have to deal with millions of refugees on its border, not to mention unsecured nuclear weapons. They would also lose a substantial buffer and its positioning in the region against the U.S. If China continues to prop up the regime, what else can be done to change North Korean behavior?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Major countries, in particular, countries like China, the United States and Russia, need to get onto the same page as far as the nuclearization issue is concerned on the Korean Peninsula. And we should avoid the situation where DPRK can play United States against China.</s>RIVERS (voice-over): Though if the countries agree on new sanctions to try to limit weapons development, it's unclear how effective those would be. What is clear is that with any further diplomatic action, China will play the pivotal role -- Matt Rivers, CNN, Beijing.</s>KINKADE: Still to come, firefighters are working to tackle a massive fire that's tearing through a huge area in Western Australia. We'll have details on what they're dealing with just ahead.