The test sparked political outrage worldwide and heightened fears that the rogue state was close to becoming a nuclear power.
North Korea was censured last month for launching a new long-range missile, and the UN said it would immediately begin work on a new legally-binding resolution to deal with the latest violation.
Gordon Brown and US President Barack Obama led a chorus of condemnation.
And angry EU chiefs demanded a "firm response" to the "flagrant violation" of a previous UN resolution.
Mr Brown vowed to make North Korea an international pariah unless it started acting responsibly.
The PM said: "This act will undermine prospects for peace on the Korean peninsula and will do nothing for North Korea's security."
President Obama said the actions were "a matter of grave concern to all nations".
There were demos in South Korea, with protesters in Seoul burning mock missiles and photos of Kim Jong-il.
Japan's spokesman Takeo Kawamura said: "We will definitely not tolerate it."
Even Iran distanced itself from North Korea, as President Ahmadinejad insisted his country had no links with its nuke programme.
Yesterday's blast - dubbed "successful" by North Korea - carried the force of 20,000 tons of TNT explosives.
Experts believe it was carried out near Kilju, site of the country's first nuclear test in 2006.
An earthquake measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale was registered in the area.
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The Sun Online |
