US President Barack Obama on Tuesday vowed in his State of the Union address to take "firm action" in response to the fresh nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

"Provocations of the sort we saw last night will only isolate them further, as we stand by our allies, strengthen our own missile defense, and lead the world in taking firm action in response to these threats," he told the Congress.

Obama said that the DPRK will "only achieve security and prosperity by meeting their international obligations."

The US President, who has placed non-proliferation high on his foreign policy agenda since he first took office in 2009, also pledged that America will continue to lead the efforts to prevent the "spread of the world's most dangerous weapons."

Obama's pledge came after the DPRK said on Tuesday that it had successfully conducted the third underground nuclear test.

DPRK's official news agency KCNA said that the test was part of the country's "practical measures of counteraction" to defend its security and sovereignty against hostile US policies that have violated DPRK's "rights to launch satellite for peaceful purposes."

Earlier the day, Obama condemned the nuclear test as "highly provocative," while calling for "further swift and credible action" by the international community.

The UN Security Council on Tuesday strongly condemned the nuclear test, saying the latest move by Pyongyang is "a grave violation" of its relevant resolutions.