KYODO NEWS - Sep 3, 2017 - 13:34 | World, All, Urgent

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 that appears to have been artificially generated occurred Sunday in North Korea, a Chinese monitoring agency said.

The temblor, likely to have been North Korea's sixth nuclear test, was detected around 11:30 a.m. in the northeast of the country, according to the China Earthquake Network Center.

(Korea Media / Kyodo)

It said the depth of the quake was "0 kilometer," a strong indication of a manmade explosion.

If confirmed, it is North Korea's first nuclear test since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January.

The previous test on Sept. 9 last year, producing a 5.3-magnitude seismic event, was its most powerful to date and the purpose of it, according to North Korea's official media, was to examine the power of a nuclear warhead designed to be mounted on a ballistic missile.

North Korea is banned by the United Nations from any tests of nuclear or ballistic missile technology and is already subject to tough international sanctions. But it carried out two nuclear tests and launched more than 20 ballistic missiles in 2016 alone.

North Korea seems to be making steady progress on its weapons program, with the continuation of a series of missile tests also this year.

In July, North Korea for the first time test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile that could potentially put many parts of the mainland United States within range.

It also launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile last week that flew over Japan before harmlessly landing in the northern Pacific Ocean.

North Korea has insisted it has a legitimate right to develop the technologies for self-defense against what it has called threats from the United States and other "hostile" forces.

The sixth nuclear detonation would become a test of the U.S. government's ability to deal with North Korea. While the Trump administration is still struggling to come up with measures to rein in the reclusive country, it has said all options, including military action, are on the table.