LIVE: N Koreans cheer and smile as the country conducts its 4th nuclear test

North Korea said Wednesday it had conducted a hydrogen bomb test, a defiant and surprising move that, if confirmed, would put Pyongyang a big step closer toward improving its still-limited nuclear arsenal. The republic’s first hydrogen bomb test has been successfully performed at 10:00am on January 6, 2016, based on the strategic determination of the Workers’ Party,” a state television news reader announced. Meanwhile, the US vowed to respond appropriately to North Korea’s provocations after the reclusive nation claimed that it had carried out a hydrogen bomb test. “We will continue to protect and defend our allies in the region, including the Republic of Korea, and will respond appropriately to any and all North Korean provocations,” State Department Spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.