North Koreans have spoken of their delight at their country’s latest nuclear missile test, which it called a “perfect success”.

Several North Koreans interviewed in the streets of the capital, Pyongyang, praised the bomb test.

“It makes me feel really strong,” one said. “Now, how can our enemies dare to covet our fatherland?”

He added: “Now we have everything we need. We can hit our enemies when they are at home or in their bases abroad. It makes me feel really strong.”

Another said: “I felt again that we are a strong nuclear state. Since we have our Marshall, we don’t have to be frightened of anything.”

Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb Show all 6 1 /6 Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb Photos released by North Korea show Kim Jong-un talking to subordinates next to a device thought to be the new thermonuclear weapon. There is no way of independently verifying the pictures STR/AFP/Getty Images Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb North Korea claims it has successfully tested an advanced hydrogen bomb which could be loaded onto an intercontinental ballistic missile AFP/Getty Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb A diagram on the wall behind Mr Kim shows a bomb mounted inside a cone STR/AFP/Getty Images Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (C) attending a photo session with participants of the fourth conference of active secretaries of primary organisations of the youth league of the Korean People's Army (KPA) in Pyongyang STR/AFP/Getty Images Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb A new stamp issued in commemoration of the successful second test launch of the "Hwasong-14" intercontinental ballistic missile KCNA via Reuters Kim Jong-un inspects weapon North Korea says is powerful hydrogen bomb A new stamp issued in commemoration of the successful second test launch of the "Hwasong-14" intercontinental ballistic missile KCNA via Reuters

North Korea’s state-run television broadcast a special bulletin to announce the test, saying Kim Jong-un attended a meeting of the ruling party’s presidium and signed the go-ahead order.

Earlier in the day, the party’s newspaper ran a front-page story showing photos of Mr Kim examining what it said was a nuclear warhead being fitted onto the nose of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

North Korea conducted two nuclear tests last year, the last nearly a year ago, on the 9 September anniversary of the nation’s founding. It has been launching missiles at a record pace this year.

It conducted its most provocative launch yet last month, in response to ongoing US-South Korea military exercises, when it fired a potentially nuclear-capable midrange missile over northern Japan.

It said that launch was the “curtain-raiser” for more activity to come.

Photos showed Mr Kim talking with his lieutenants as he observed a silver, peanut-shaped device the state-run media said was a thermonuclear weapon designed to be mounted on the North’s “Hwasong-14” ICBM.

The North claims the device has explosive power that can range from tens to hundreds of kilotons.

Mr Kim, according to the statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, claimed all components of the device were domestically produced, which he said means the North can make “as many as it wants.”