North Korea's second nuclear bomb test reverberated around the world Monday, with the U.N. Security Council condemning it as a "clear violation" of international law and even its closest ally criticizing the exercise, CNN reported.
China said North Korea "disregarded the opposition of the international community" to conduct the test.
"The Chinese government expresses firm opposition to this," a statement from Beijing's foreign ministry announced. It urged Pyongyang to return to the six-party talks aimed at dismantling its nuclear program, abide by its existing commitments and "cease any actions that might cause the situation to deteriorate further."
North Korea agreed in 2008 to scrap its nuclear weapons program - which it said had produced enough plutonium for about seven atomic bombs - in exchange for economic aid. But the deal foundered over verification and disclosure issues, and the North expelled international inspectors and announced plans to restart its main nuclear reactor.
At the United Nations, Security Council members took about an hour Monday to express their unanimous condemnation of the move. Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin called Monday's test "very serious" and said it "needs to have a strong response."
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