BBC – The agency says Monday’s test was “aimed at strengthening its [North
Korea’s] self-defence nuclear deterrent in every way”.
The news confirms earlier reports by South Korea’s Yonhap news agency.
South Korea’s president is reported to have convened an emergency
security meeting and Japan is setting up a task force in the prime
minister’s office.
The KCNA report gave no details of the location of the test.
However, South Korean officials said a seismic tremor was detected in
the north-eastern part of the communist state.
Both South Korea’s and the US geological agency said the tremor
indicated a nuclear explosion.
North Korea conducted its first nuclear test in October 2006.
Last month, Pyongyang pulled out of six-party talks on its nuclear
programme, in protest against international condemnation of its test-
firing a rocket.
