United Nations, Feb 13 (IANS): The UN Security Council (UNSC) Tuesday strongly condemned North Korea's third nuclear test, saying the latest move by Pyongyang "is a grave violation" of its relevant resolutions, Xinhua reported.

"The members of the Security Council strongly condemned this test, which is a grave violation of Security Council resolution 1718 (2006), 1874 (2009) and 2087 (2013), and therefore there continues to exist a clear threat to international peace and security," said a statement read to the press by South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-Hwan.

South Korea, one of the 10 non-permanent members of the 15-nation security council, holds the rotating council presidency for February.

Kim is at the UN headquarters in New York to chair an open debate of the security council on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.

North Korea Tuesday said 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 North Korea's " rights to launch satellite for peaceful purposes," the KCNA reported.