Japan, U.S. to refer DPRK's nuclear test to UN Security Council

Japan and the United States on Monday agreed to refer the reported nuclear test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to the UN Security Council, Kyodo News reported.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki told reporters after meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Japan Thomas Schieffer that the two sides had decided to work together to take the issue to the UN Security Council.

Schieffer did not confirm whether DPRK had conducted the nuclear test. "This is a very grave situation and we all are following it with great intensity," he said.

DPRK's official Korean Central News Agency said Monday morning that the country had successfully conducted its first-ever underground nuclear test.

The Japan Meteorological Agency later said it had detected around 10:35 a.m. (0135 GMT) an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.9 in the northeast of the DPRK.

Source: Xinhua