Condemnation of North Korea's nuclear test

North Korea has confirmed it carried out a third underground nuclear test despite warnings from the international community.

It has told the UN disarmament forum in Geneva that the nuclear test was an act of self-defence against "US hostility" and threatened further, stronger steps if necessary.

Emergency meetings are due to take place in the South Korean capital Seoul and at the United Nations in New York.

South Korea's military has reportedly been put on higher alert.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said the blast was twice as big as the 2009 nuclear explosion.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described the test as "deplorable".

He said the North Korean government had defied international appeals to refrain from such provocative acts.

The US and Russia, in separate statements, said the test was a violation of Security Council resolutions.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore condemned the test "in the strongest possible terms".

He said it was a major challenge to efforts to advance global nuclear disarmament.

The UN Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting to discuss the possibility of imposing new sanctions on North Korea.

"It is deplorable that Pyongyang defied the strong and unequivocal call from the international community to refrain from any further provocative measures," a spokesperson for UN secretary-general said.

"The Secretary-General is gravely concerned about the negative impact of this deeply destabilising act on regional stability, as well as the global efforts for nuclear non-proliferation," he said.

South Korea's UN mission said it called an emergency meeting of the 15-nation Security Council at 2pm Irish time to discuss the nuclear test.

It said that South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan would address the media in New York after the meeting.

South Korea is the president of the council this month, which gives it the possibility to convene meetings and ensure North Korea remains a priority issue for the United Nations' most powerful body for the rest of February.

China summons North Korean ambassador

China said it strongly opposed North Korea's latest nuclear test and urged its ally to abide by its non-nuclear commitment and not take any actions that would worsen the situation on the Korean peninsula.

The North Korean ambassador has been summoned to the foreign ministry in Beijing to explain his country's actions.

"It is China's firm stance to realise non-nuclearisation for the Korean peninsula and prevent nuclear proliferation and maintain peace and stability in northeast Asia," China's Foreign Ministry said.

US President Barack Obama said the test was a "highly provocative act" that hurt regional stability.

He called North Korea's nuclear programme a threat to the US, its allies, and to international security.

Mr Obama said: "The danger posed by North Korea's threatening activities warrants further swift and credible action by the international community.

"The United States will also continue to take steps necessary to defend ourselves and our allies."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called on North Korea to abandon its nuclear arms programme and return to six-party talks.

The Irish National Seismic Network (INSN) said it picked up the "explosion-like" event approximately 11 minutes after North Korea detonated the nuclear device.

INSN Director Tom Blake said the explosion from the nuclear test propagated through the ground measuring 4.9 magnitude.

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