North Korea's Nuclear Test: World Community Reacts

UNITED NATIONS, May 25 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Monday voiced "the strong opposition to and condemnation of" the nuclear test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

"The members of the Security Council have decided to start work immediately on a Security Council resolution on this matter," said the statement after a closed-door council meeting. (Reporting by Louis Charbonneau; Editing by Peter Cooney)

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said it successfully conducted a nuclear test on Monday, arousing immediate concerns and various responses from the world community.

The U.N. Security Council called an emergency meeting Monday after world leaders reacted with outrage to North Korea's latest nuclear test.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in Copenhagen that he was "deeply disturbed" by the nuclear test, telling reporters that he was closely following the events.

China was resolutely opposed to the nuclear test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the Foreign Ministry said here in a statement Monday.

Russia urges the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to demonstrate responsibility, the Interfax news agency quoted Russian Foreign Ministry as saying on Monday.

The White House -- which less than three weeks ago announced a new diplomatic effort to restart stalled talks with North Korea about its nuclear program -- said the test was in "blatant defiance" of the Security Council.

U.S. President Barack Obama condemned the test as a "threat to international peace and security."

Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso said Monday that the DPRK nuclear test is a "grave challenge" to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty regime and a "clear violation" of a UN Security Council resolution banning the country from nuclear activity.

The German government called the test as an "irresponsible provocation" that threatens international stability.

    British Prime Minister Gordon Brown denounced the nuclear test on Monday as a "danger to the world" that will undermine peace prospects on the Korean peninsula.

The French government Monday called on Pyongyang to "refrain from any new provocation."

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hassan Qashqavi stated on Monday that North Korea's nuclear test carried out earlier in the day was an "internal affair". He refused to condemn this test. It should be noted that relations between Iran and North Korea under president Kim Jong Il have been warm. Western intelligence reports claim the two countries maintain close military cooperation.

Iran has no missile or nuclear cooperation with North Korea, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said. Former U.S. President Bush branded both countries as part of an "axis of evil," but Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful power generation. The West suspects its work has military aims.

"We don't have any cooperation (with North Korea) in this field. We oppose the production, the amassing and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction," Ahmadinejad told a news conference.