North Korea confirms 'nuclear warhead explosion', says meant to counter U.S. hostility

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North Korea confirms conducting a nuclear test on the morning of 9 September, despite UN sanctions.

International news agency, Associated Press tweeted that North Korea says it conducted a "nuclear warhead explosion" test to counter what Pyongyang calls U.S. hostility.

BREAKING: North Korea says it has conducted a "nuclear warhead explosion" test meant to counter what Pyongyang calls U.S. hostility.

— The Associated Press (@AP) September 9, 2016

Earlier, seismic activity, with a magnitude of 5.3, was detected around 9 am local time (8:30 pm ET) near Punggye-ri, the same location where four other tests, were conducted and the most recent of which was in January.

As per reports, this was North Korea's fifth nuclear test and potentially its most powerful yet.

According to CNN, the blast had the explosive power of 10 kilotons, almost twice as large as the previous test, said Kim Nam-wook, from South Korea's Meteorological Administration.

By comparison, the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima was 15 kilotons.

South Korea condemned the test, saying it was a clear violation of the UN Security Council resolution.

South Korea President Park Geun-hye called Kim Jong Un's regime "fanatically reckless," quotes CNN.

"The only thing that Kim Jong Un regime can gain from the nuclear tests is stronger sanctions from the international community and its isolation. Such provocation will eventually hasten its path to self-destruction," she said in a statement.