The magnitude of the seismic event with explosion-like characteristics in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), confirmed as a nuclear test, was twice as large as its previous nuclear test in 2009, a monitoring agency said on Tuesday.

The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) announced that the explosion that measured 5.0 in magnitude was around twice as large as the country's nuclear test in 2009 (4.52) and much larger than the one in 2006 (4.1).

The location of the explosion is estimated to be largely identical to the two previous nuclear tests. More precise data will be published as soon as possible, said the agency.

The 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 U.S. policies that have violated DPRK's "rights to launch satellite for peaceful purposes," the KCNA said. Endi