The Democratic People's Republic of Korea says the United States must recognize it as a 'legitimate nuclear weapons state'. This comes after Pyongyang's fifth and largest nuclear test. The DPRK also says a push for further sanctions is "laughable", and has vowed to continue to strengthen its nuclear power.

A US Special Representative for DPRK policy has met with Japanese officials, and said later that the United States may launch unilateral sanctions against the DPRK. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui met with the DPRK ambassador to China Ji Jae Ryong. The Vice Foreign Minister said that the DPRK nuclear test is "not conducive to the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula."