North Korea Nuclear Test 'Dangerous and Reckless': Turnbull

Artificial seismic waves measuring 3.9 were reported after North Korea's first nuclear test in 2006, for instance, and a 4.8 was reported from its fourth test this January.

North Korea has offered a chilling demonstration over the past month of its ability to deliver such warheads, using missiles that could strike Japan, South Korea and even U.S. territory.

Chinaslammed it saying the country was "firmly opposed" to the test.

Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation CTBTO Executive Secretary Lassina Zerbo called the tests a frightening, unfortunate and serious breach of the norms adopted by the worldwide community.

Pyongyang has conducted a series of ballistic missile launches since top North Korean leader Kim Jong-un gave an order on March 15 to test a nuclear warhead and ballistic rockets capable of carrying the warhead "in a short time".

Gerard van Bohemen said the council was now working on what measures it could take in response. Scott Snyder, director of the Program on US-Korea Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the threat is growing as the strategy of patience is proving futile and the potential for confrontation grows.

"Now that the USA posed threats to the dignity and the right to existence of the DPRK, defying its serious warning, it will continue to take a series of eventful action steps as a full-fledged military power", the spokesman said, using the official abbreviation for North Korea.

Members of the United Nations from the US, South Korea, Japan, Russia and China held an urgent meeting yesterday to discuss how to respond to Pyongyang's nuclear test, which triggered a whopping 5.3 magnitude natural disaster.

China's UN Ambassador Liu Jieyi told reporters that "all sides should refrain from mutual provocation and any action that might exacerbate the situation".

Another KCNA report on Sunday said North Koreans were "delighted" by the nuclear test.

During a meeting behind closed doors, the council strongly condemned the test and agreed to begin drafting a new resolution under article 41 of the United Nations charter, which provides for sanctions.

Talks involving world and regional powers have failed to rein in the North's nuclear programme.

"North Korea is seeking to flawless its nuclear weapons and their delivery vehicles so they can hold the region and the world hostage under threat of nuclear strike", U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power told reporters ahead of the council meeting.

The North has yet to demonstrate that it had deployed nuclear-capable missiles, despite claims to have mastered the technology to miniaturise a nuclear warhead to mount it on ballistic missiles.

The United Nations Security Council made a strong condemnation of North Korea's latest nuclear test and pledged to impose further sanctions as a deterrence to what it called "a clear threat to global peace and security".

However, this did not stop the isolated communist state from conducting a further 21 ballistic missile launches.

He later said, "North Korea would not be in the position they are in today with their nuclear warheads if it hadn't been for Bill Clinton".

North Korea has also been angered by a US and South Korean plan to install an anti-missile defence system in the South and by the allies' massive annual joint military exercises, which are still taking place.

The North's recent actions have sorely tested its only ally, China.

The latest test comes as several countries and institutions are on the cusp of transition.

"If previous tests were conducted with the goal of acquiring the nuclear bomb, the newest test shows that the North finally owns a real, weaponized nuclear bomb", Kim said.

Estimates of the explosive yield of the latest blast have varied.

Pyongyang perceives neighbouring South Korea and the U.S. as its main enemies, and said its Friday's test - which caused a 5.0-magnitude seismic event - proved its scientists were capable of mounting a nuclear warhead on a medium-range ballistic missile.