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| North Korea conducts nuclear test | North Korea conducts nuclear test |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| North Korea has staged a "successful" underground nuclear test, the state-run KCNA agency reports. | North Korea has staged a "successful" underground nuclear test, the state-run KCNA agency reports. |
| The agency says it was more powerful than the previous one in October 2006. | The agency says it was more powerful than the previous one in October 2006. |
| A number of external agencies have confirmed a powerful explosion took place, suspected to be associated with a nuclear test. | |
| US President Barack Obama described the North Korean action as a threat to international peace. Crisis talks were being held in South Korea. | US President Barack Obama described the North Korean action as a threat to international peace. Crisis talks were being held in South Korea. |
| Preparations for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council later on Monday are under way. | Preparations for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council later on Monday are under way. |
| 'Safeguarding sovereignty' | 'Safeguarding sovereignty' |
| An official communique read out on North Korean state radio said another round of underground nuclear testing had been "successfully conducted... as part of measures to enhance the Republic's self-defensive nuclear deterrent in all directions". | An official communique read out on North Korean state radio said another round of underground nuclear testing had been "successfully conducted... as part of measures to enhance the Republic's self-defensive nuclear deterrent in all directions". |
| It said the test had been "safely conducted at a new high level in terms of explosive power and control technology". | It said the test had been "safely conducted at a new high level in terms of explosive power and control technology". |
| Japanese Foreign Ministry: "We'll respond in a responsible manner" | |
| The test would "contribute to safeguard the sovereignty of the country and the nation and socialism", the communique said. | The test would "contribute to safeguard the sovereignty of the country and the nation and socialism", the communique said. |
| The US Geological Survey said a 4.7-magnitude quake was detected at 0054 GMT, 10km (six miles) underground. | The US Geological Survey said a 4.7-magnitude quake was detected at 0054 GMT, 10km (six miles) underground. |
| Geological agencies in both South Korea and the US said the tremor indicated a nuclear explosion. | |
| Russian news agencies quoted the defence ministry as saying said its systems had detected a blast of "between 10 and 20 kilotons" - making it much bigger than the 2006 test, which the US said was less than a kiloton. | |
| NUCLEAR CRISIS Oct 2006 - North Korea conducts an underground nuclear testFeb 2007 - North Korea agrees to close its main nuclear reactor in exchange for fuel aidJune 2007 - North Korea shuts its main Yongbyon reactorJune 2008 - North Korea makes its long-awaited declaration of nuclear assetsOct 2008 - The US removes North Korea from its list of countries which sponsor terrorismDec 2008 - Pyongyang slows work to dismantle its nuclear programme after a US decision to suspend energy aidJan 2009 - The North says it is scrapping all military and political deals with the South, accusing it of "hostile intent"April 2009 - Pyongyang launches a rocket carrying what it says is a communications satellite25 May 2009 - North Korea conducts a second nuclear test class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8066676.stm">In quotes: Reaction to N Korea test class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7997872.stm">Engage, appease, oppose? class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7985336.stm">N Korea a problem for Obama class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/country_profiles/1132268.stm">Timeline: North Korea | |
| Just hours after the test, North Korea appeared to have test-fired a short-range missile, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported. | |
| Pyongyang has so far not commented on Yonhap's report. | |
| The US state department said it was still analysing the available data from the test. | |
| But in a strongly worded statement, President Obama said the North's pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles threatened peace and was in "blatant defiance of the United Nations Security Council". | |
| "The danger posed by North Korea's threatening activities warrants action by the international community. We have been and will continue working with our allies and partners in the six-party talks as well as other members of the UN Security Council in the days ahead," his statement said. | |
| Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said any nuclear test by the North would be "unacceptable". Another government spokesman said action would be sought at the UN Security Council. | |
| Russia's UN ambassador said an emergency meeting of the Security Council would be held later on Monday. | Russia's UN ambassador said an emergency meeting of the Security Council would be held later on Monday. |
| The European Union said that the development was "very worrying". | |
| South Korea's stock market fell 4% on the news, over fears that regional tensions would rise. | South Korea's stock market fell 4% on the news, over fears that regional tensions would rise. |
| Rocket condemnation | Rocket condemnation |
| The North gave no details of the location of the test. | The North gave no details of the location of the test. |
| However, South Korean officials said earlier that a seismic tremor was detected in the north-eastern part around the town of Kilju - the site of North Korea's first nuclear test. | However, South Korean officials said earlier that a seismic tremor was detected in the north-eastern part around the town of Kilju - the site of North Korea's first nuclear test. |
| Last month, Pyongyang pulled out of six-party talks on its nuclear programme, in protest against international condemnation of its test-firing of a rocket on 5 April. | Last month, Pyongyang pulled out of six-party talks on its nuclear programme, in protest against international condemnation of its test-firing of a rocket on 5 April. |
| The UN Security Council adopted a statement calling on North Korea to comply with a 2006 resolution banning missile tests. | The UN Security Council adopted a statement calling on North Korea to comply with a 2006 resolution banning missile tests. |
| Pyongyang says its rocket carried a satellite, but several nations viewed it as cover for a missile test. | Pyongyang says its rocket carried a satellite, but several nations viewed it as cover for a missile test. |
| The six-party talks - involving the US, China, Japan, Russia and the two Koreas - have stalled over the failure of Pyongyang to verify the shutdown of the Yongbyon nuclear plant. | The six-party talks - involving the US, China, Japan, Russia and the two Koreas - have stalled over the failure of Pyongyang to verify the shutdown of the Yongbyon nuclear plant. |
| North Korea had agreed to dismantle the facility as part of an aid-for-disarmament deal and, in response, the US removed North Korea from its terrorism blacklist. | North Korea had agreed to dismantle the facility as part of an aid-for-disarmament deal and, in response, the US removed North Korea from its terrorism blacklist. |
| But the North now believes it is no longer bound by its previous bilateral agreements with the US and agreements under the six-party talks, reports the BBC's John Sudworth in Seoul, South Korea. | But the North now believes it is no longer bound by its previous bilateral agreements with the US and agreements under the six-party talks, reports the BBC's John Sudworth in Seoul, South Korea. |
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