The European Union on Tuesday condemned "in the strongest possible terms" the latest DPRK (the Democratic People's Republic of Korea) nuclear test.

The DPRK's latest nuclear test is "one more step in a long-running program to develop a nuclear weapon capability", said the EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. The EU urged the DPRK to refrain from further provocative actions.

"This nuclear test is a further blatant challenge to the global non-proliferation regime and an outright violation of the DPRK's international obligations not to produce or test nuclear weapons, in particular under UN Security Council Resolutions 1718, 1874 and 2087," Ashton said.

She said that the DPRK's nuclear test constituted a serious threat to a lasting peace in the Korean Peninsula and to both regional and international security and stability in North-East Asia.

"US Resolution 2087 adopted unanimously last month further clarifies the international community's determination to take significant action in the event of a nuclear test, which would lead the DPRK towards further isolation," she said.

Ashton said the EU remains seized of the matter and will work with key partners and the wider international community to build a firm and unified response aiming at demonstrating to the DPRK that there are consequences for its continued violations of US Resolutions.

"We once again urge the DPRK to abandon its nuclear weapons program, including its uranium enrichment program, in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner," she said, "The EU strongly urges the DPRK to engage in a dialogue with the international community, including in the framework of the Six-Party Talks which would be conducive to regional stability."

The DPRK said on Tuesday it has successfully conducted the third underground nuclear test, according to its official KCNA news agency.