The Unification Ministry said Wednesday that it began operating an emergency situation team after it was confirmed North Korea conducted a fourth nuclear test.
 
A ministry official said that it launched the operations in line with a manual on response measures when the North carries out a nuclear test.
 
The official said the government is discussing ways to guarantee the safety of South Koreans residing in the communist state.
 
Currently, one-thousand-171 South Koreans are estimated to be residing in the Gaeseong Industrial Complex in the North.