The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning North Korea's long-range rocket launch in December as a violation of a U.N. ban against its nuclear and missile activity, and extended sanctions against the North.

Reacting strongly to the resolution, North Korea declared that it will resume development of nuclear weapons and hinted that it will carry out its third nuclear test.

If North Korea goes ahead, it will be the first nuclear test under leader Mr. Kim Jong Un — who succeeded his late father Kim Jong Il in December 2011 — and will heighten tensions in and around the Korean Peninsula.