The test was put together impulsively

I've no idea how reliable this is, from the Daily NK, but it sounds very plausible:

North Korea’s purported hydrogen bomb test is a result of Pyongyang’s aggressive push to produce visible accomplishments and boost Kim Jong Un’s legitimacy of being designated general secretary during a rare Party Congress scheduled for May. The test, however, was rushed and in effect a failure, Daily NK has learned. 

“The North’s hydrogen test that was carried out on the 6th was an impromptu move to idolize Kim Jong Un ahead of the 7th Party Congress in May,” a source with knowledge of North Korean affairs told South Korean lawmaker Ha Tae Kyung on Sunday. “Kim Jong Un needs a key accomplishment to justify his debut as president and Workers’ Party general secretary, so the test was put together impulsively.” 

This news was confirmed by two Daily NK sources in Pyongyang as well as South Korea’s National Intelligence Service. 

"It being the first Party Congress in 36 years--the last was held in October 1980--there is the absolute need to have something concrete and tangible to promote as Kim Jong Un’s legacy," he said, explaining that the achievement would have to be something grand that would suit the leader's introduction as president and general secretary. After deliberation, this "something" manifested as a thermonuclear test, he added.

“Kim Jong Un had focused on producing results in the economic sector but after failing to turn out any significant results he felt pressured and started turning his eyes toward the idea of carrying out a hydrogen bomb test from late last year,” the source asserted. “In the latter half of 2015, Kim Jong Un kept on pushing the thermonuclear team to complete the bomb by early 2016.” 

Only the five permanent UN Security Council members--the U.S., China, Russia, France, and the UK--have a thermonuclear weapon, so if the North were to possess a hydrogen bomb it would gain the title as being a sixth nuclear strong country. This would be a great accomplishment that not even Kim Jong Il was able to achieve. Kim Jong Un would have also figured this would be an effective means to dispel people’s disgruntlement about the poor state of the economy, according to the source. 

“But having been a hasty test based on political goals, it was ultimately unsuccessful,” he contended. “Now, Kim Jong Un is anxious about and focused on making sure that news of this failure doesn't become known to the outside world."

In what way this was "in effect a failure" isn't made clear. There was, it's generally accepted, some kind of nuclear detonation. Presumably then it was just another fission bomb.

But certainly the amount of coverage in the North Korean media has been huge, suggesting that Kim Jong-un wants this to be seen as the major triumph of his short rule. From the official Rodong Simmun:

A joint army-civilian meeting for welcoming Juche Korea's first successful H-bomb test took place on Friday.

The Pyongyangites thronged various places here such as Kim Il Sung Square and plazas before the Tower of the Juche Idea, Monument to Party Founding, April 25 House of Culture and Arch of Triumph and Pyongyang Indoor Stadium.

Pak Pong Ju, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and premier of the DPRK Cabinet, read out the statement of the DPRK government on the successful H-bomb test.

Congratulatory speeches were made by Kim Ki Nam, secretary of the C.C., WPK, No Kwang Chol, first vice-minister of the People's Armed Forces, Jon Yong Nam, chairman of the C.C., the Kim Il Sung Socialist Youth League, and Jang Chol, president of the State Academy of Sciences.

Kim Ki Nam said that January 6, 2016 when Juche Korea successfully carried out its first H-bomb test was a day of historical events when the great Kim Il Sung's, Kim Jong Il's and Kim Jong Un's Korea displayed the dignity of the greatest and powerful Paektusan nation all over the world.

No Kwang Chol, first vice-minister of the People's Armed Forces, said that the supreme commander's leadership over the building of a nuclear force for self-defence provided the Korean revolutionary armed forces with a powerful nuclear treasured sword capable of annihilating in any place and any time those forces encroaching upon their dignity and sovereignty no matter who they are and where on earth they might be.

Jon Yong Nam, chairman of the C.C., the youth league, said that the stirring situation today which startled the world made the Korean youth cherish deep in their hearts the tremendous might of Juche Korea led by Marshal Kim Jong Un and the faith that final victory is sure to be won when they go straight along the path of the Korean revolution chosen by the Workers' Party of Korea in the spirit of blizzards of Paektu.

Jang Chol, president of the State Academy of Sciences, said that the complete success in the H-bomb test is a crystal of ardent loyalty to the WPK, patriotic devotion and great creativity of scientists and technicians in the field of national defence.

At the end of the meeting there were dancing parties of youths, students and other people and fireworks were displayed in the sky above Pyongyang.

As we've heard, the rection outside Pyongyang was somewhat less enthusiastic.

 

 

Comments

[Gene]

"Kim Jong Un had focused on producing results in the economic sector but after failing to turn out any significant results ..."

Significant economic results could have been had more easily and at less expense than a nuke test. But of course, loosening the reins on your people is an ideological bridge too far.

[djf]

Kim's doing something so that he has some sort of "accomplishment" for which to take credit uncomfortably reminds me of another national leader on the other side of the Pacific. Particularly the latter's deal with Iran, which he seems to view as an end in itself.