UN condemns nuclear test by North Korea

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has denounced North Korea's nuclear test on Friday as a "clear violation" of UN Security Council resolutions and a "troubling and regrettable" action.

"I strongly urge North Korea to fully implement all relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council and the IAEA," Efe news cited Yukiya Amano, Director General of the agency as saying in a statement.

An artificial quake of magnitude 5 was detected around 9.30 a.m. at North Korea's main Punggye-ri nuclear test site indicating that Pyongyang had carried out yet another nuclear test despite UN sanctions.

The US Geological Survey said the tremor was a 5.3-magnitude earthquake.

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".

North Korea is banned by UN sanctions from any tests of nuclear or missile technology.

--IANS

sm/dg