Oct. 9 (Bloomberg) -- North Korea has ``safely and successfully conducted an underground nuclear test,'' the official Korea Central News Agency said.

``The nuclear test, conducted in a scientific method and under specific calculations, did not cause any danger,'' the news agency of the Kim Jong Il regime said.

The South Korean presidential office began an emergency security meeting of its ministers at 11:30 a.m., according to officials at the presidential Blue House, the Foreign Ministry and the Defense Ministry said in a statement.

To contact the reporter on this story: Heejin Koo in Seoul at hjkoo@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: October 8, 2006 23:08 EDT