UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 7 (APP): The U.N. Security Council Sunday strongly
condemned North Korea’s missile launch and vowed to “expeditiously” adopt a new resolution with “significant” new sanctions against Pyongyang.
In a statement issued statement after an emergency meeting on Sunday,
the 15-member Council underscored that launches using ballistic missile technology, “even if characterized as a satellite launch or space launch vehicle” contribute to North Korea’s development of systems to deliver nuclear weapons.
It said that using ballistic missile technology is a violation of four
Security Council resolutions dating back to 2006.
“The members of the Security Council restated their intent to develop
significant measures in a new Security Council resolution in response to the nuclear test conducted by the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) on January 6, 2016, in grave violation of the DPRK’s international obligations,” the statement added.
The members of the Security Council also recalled that they have
previously expressed their determination to take “further significant measures” in the event of another DPRK launch.
In line with this commitment and the gravity of this most recent
violation, the members of the Security Council will adopt expeditiously a new Security Council resolution with such measures in response to these dangerous and serious violations.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Bank Ki-moon, in a separate statement,
also strongly deplored North Korea’s latest missile launch and urged it to “halt its provocative actions.”
“It is deeply deplorable that (North Korea) has conducted a launch using
ballistic missile technology in violation of relevant Security Council resolutions … despite the united plea of the international community against such an act,” the statement added.