North Korea tests nuclear weapon

North Korea said on Monday that it has "successfully" conducted its second nuclear test, following a warning of retaliation it issued last month after the U.N.`s condemnation of its rocket launch, news reports said.

"The Democratic People`s Republic of Korea (North Korea) successfully conducted one more underground nuclear test on May 25 as part of measures to bolster its nuclear deterrent for self-defense," the official Korean Central News Agency said.

North Korea warned on April 29 that it would conduct the second test, following its first in October 2006, in protest at the U.N. Security Council`s rebuke for its April 5 rocket launch.

Monday`s report did not say where the test was conducted. The previous test occurred in Kilju, the country`s northeast in North Hamgyong Province.

Seoul`s weather agency said North Korea`s second nuclear test appeared to have taken place 10-15 km away from the 2006 test site around Kilju.

The agency also said the artificial earthquake was detected at 9:54 a.m. with a 4.5 magnitude. In the previous test, the detected magnitude was 3.6.

The North said the second test was conducted "on a new higher level in terms of its explosive power and technology of its control."

The results of the test "helped satisfactorily settle the scientific and technological problems," it said, "further increasing the power of nuclear weapons and steadily developing nuclear technology."



In response to North Korea’s nuclear test, South Korea and Japan agreed Monday to seek U.N.-level punishment against North Korea, officials said.



The agreement came at a meeting between Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan and his Japanese counterpart Hirofumi Nakasone held here on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).



The ministers said they "call for the U.N. Security Council to convene an emergency meeting on the issue as early as possible," a senior South Korean official said, asking not to be named.



Yu plans to have more discussions with foreign ministers from other nations, including China and Russia, which are also attending the ASEM forum, he added.