PYONGYANG - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said on Tuesday it has successfully conducted the third underground nuclear test, according to the official KCNA news agency.

The test was part of the country's "practical measures of counteraction" to defend its security and sovereignty against hostile US policies, which it claimed have violated DPRK's "rights to launch satellite for peaceful purposes," the KCNA said in a statement.

The KCNA also said the test was done in a "safe and perfect" way with a smaller and light A-bomb unlike the previous ones, yet with great explosive power.

The statement has finally confirmed the conjecture of the international community that linked an earthquake occurred Tuesday in the DPRK with Pyongyang's plan for a fresh nuclear test, which has been strongly opposed.

The UN Security Council is scheduled to meet in an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss the situation, diplomatic sources told Xinhua.

Earlier, the DPRK vowed to proceed with missile and nuclear tests targeting the United States, its "sworn enemy," after the UN Security Council adopted a resolution to condemn its December 12 rocket launch.

Pyongyang conducted similar nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.