UN poised to take significant measures against North Korea following test claims
In a statement released following an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on 6 January, the UN strongly condemned North Korea’s actions. The statement described the country’s alleged hydrogen bomb test as a “clear violation of (past) resolutions…and of the nonproliferation regime”. It warned that North Korea should expect to face “significant” punitive measures although no indication was given as to what these may involve. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director-general Yukiya Amano revealed that the organisation was ready to contribute to the peaceful resolution of this nuclear issue “by resuming its nuclear verification activities in the DPRK once a political agreement is reached among the countries concerned”. North Korea has faced UN Security Council sanctions arising from its nuclear weapons programme since it first tested an atomic device in 2006.

A sales assistant watches TV sets broadcasting a news report on North Korea's nuclear test, in Seoul, January 6, 2016. Reuters

The U.N. Security Council is planning to hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday to discuss North Korea's reported test of a hydrogen bomb, the U.S. mission to the United Nations said.

Speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, several diplomats said the meeting was scheduled to take place at 11 a.m. ET (1600 GMT). The diplomats said the meeting would likely be held behind closed doors.

"The United States and Japan have requested emergency Security Council consultations for (Wednesday) morning regarding North Korea's alleged nuclear test," Hagar Chemali, spokeswoman for the U.S. mission, said in a statement.

"While we cannot confirm at this time that a test was carried out, we condemn any violation of UNSC (U.N. Security Council) Resolutions and again call on North Korea to abide by its international obligations and commitments," she added.

North Korea said it had successfully conducted a test of a miniaturized hydrogen nuclear device on Wednesday morning, marking a significant advance in the isolated state's strike capabilities and ringing alarm bells in Japan and South Korea.

"We plan to work with other countries so that a resolution with strong content can be adopted at the U.N. Security Council as swiftly as possible," Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters.

It was not immediately clear what action, if any, the 15-nation council was planning to take in response to the North Korean statement that it had conducted a fourth nuclear test.

Pyongyang has been under U.N. Security Council sanctions due to its nuclear weapons program since it first tested an atomic device in 2006.

One Western diplomat said that if the latest North Korean nuclear test was confirmed, council members would seek to expand existing U.N. sanctions against Pyongyang.

(Additional reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Richard Pullin, Robert Birsel and Chizu Nomiyama)