South Korean passengers watch TV news reporting North Korea's apparent nuclear test, at the Seoul train station on February 12, 2013. (AFP Photo/Kim Jae-Hwan)
North Korea has successfully carried out its third nuclear test, Pyongyang has confirmed. UN chief Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned the move, along with Britain, Russia, South Korea, Japan and the US.
The nuclear test had an explosive yield of between 6 and 7 kilotons, South Korea's defense ministry said, according to AFP.
Pyongyang said the move was part of an effort to protect its national security and sovereignty, citing US opposition to the recent North Korean space launch.
8:02 GMT: Russian, Japanese, US top diplomats discussed the North Korean nuclear test over the phone, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said, according to RIA Novosti.
Map showing nuclear test facility.
An activist from anti-North Korea civic group walks past banners bearing messages to denounce North Korea during a rally against North Korea's nuclear test near the U.S. embassy in central Seoul February 12, 2013. (Reuters/Kim Hong-Ji)
8:00 GMT: Chinese state TV reported that North Korea might have conducted the test after the earthquake, AP said. CCTV quoted residents living along the North Korean border in Jilin province who said they felt the ground shaking for about one minute around the time the quake hit.
7:45 GMT: North Korea's latest nuclear test measured 4.9 on Richter scale, bigger than its 2009 test, Reuters reported.
7:20 GMT: Russia’s intelligence agency put the capacity of the nuclear test at 5 kilotons, according to RIA Novosti.
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