The UN Security Council condemned North Korea’s launching of three ballistic missiles as President Barack Obama called on the world body Tuesday to tighten sanctions and further isolate a nation widely viewed as an global pariah.
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The council in an emergency meeting in NY moved swiftly to adopt the condemnation.
The statement from the Security Council said members would closely monitor the situation and “take further significant measures in line with the council’s previously expressed determination” without elaborating further.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
The last UNSC resolution on North Korea, adopted on March 2 – following nearly two months of deliberations – was a response to Pyongyang carrying out a nuclear test in early January, its fourth since 2006.
Pyongyang has nevertheless carried out several launches following its fourth nuclear test in January.
Such launches represent a violation of UN Security Council resolutions that ban the North from any activity using ballistic missile technology over concern that it can be used to develop long-range missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons. The missiles flew over 600 miles and were reportedly launched without navigational warning to Japan. Last month, it successfully tested a submarine-launched missile and development of those missiles would add a weapon that is harder to detect before launch.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye has held talks with both country’s leaders since Saturday, with Beijing in particular being seen as carrying a vital influence over Pyongyang considering their traditional alliance.
A spokesperson of the North’s Foreign Ministry made the remark to the Korean Central News Agency after the Security Council adopted a press statement condemning the North’s launches of three medium-range Rodong ballistic missiles on Monday.
“We are going to work diligently together with the most recent United Nations sanctions”, Obama told reporters after meeting with South Korean President Park Geun-hye. The statement was issued following an emergency meeting of the council called jointly by the US, Japan and South Korea.
Earlier, the USA called on the council to further enforce its previous resolutions aimed at blocking the North’s ballistic missile tests.
The tests have prompted South Korea to announce plans to deploy a USA anti-missile system to counter such threats. Such action by North Korea over the past few years only served to further increase regional tension and hinder the prospects for lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and the world in general, it said.
All eight UNSC statements issued since February are “press statements” – the weakest option available to the U.N.’s top decision-making body. Bessho told reporters that the Security Council should consider taking further action.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un looks though binoculars at the site of a ballistic missile launching at an undisclosed location in North Korea. The countries most affected by Pyongyang’s military tests are China, North Korea’s only major ally, and South Korea.
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The members of the Security Council reiterated that the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea shall refrain from further actions, including nuclear tests, in violation of the relevant Security Council resolutions and comply fully with its obligations under these resolutions, the Council noted.
