The U.S., Japan and South Korea made clear after the council meeting that they want further action, but also didn’t specify what.
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“The members of the Security Council reiterated that the Democratic People’s 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.
“The Security Council must remain unequivocal and united in its condemnation of these tests”.
The council gave no indication of what “further significant measures” it might take if North Korea continues conducting tests and trying to enhance its nuclear capabilities.
In the statement, the Council members also expressed serious concern that the DPRK conducted the latest launches after a series of earlier ones – held intermittently on different occasions between 15 April and 22 August – in flagrant disregard of repeated Council statements.
Pyongyang incurred strengthened United Nations sanctions in March following its fourth ever nuclear test at the start of the year. Obama called the series of ballistic missile launches “provocations” that flouted global law and would only lead to further isolation.
The condemnation comes after North Korea launched three ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan on Monday, violating United Nations resolutions prohibiting the country from using that technology.
Park told reporters Tuesday that North Korea missile program is “fundamentally threatening the security” of the Korean Peninsula and both leaders defended its position as defensive.
China’s U.N. Ambassador Liu Jieyi, apparently annoyed that the latest missiles were fired during the G20, told reporters as he left the meeting that the council would work on a press statement.
United Nations resolutions bar North Korea from any use of ballistic missile technology.
South Korea said in July that it will deploy a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, or Thaad, missile-defense system from the USA by the end of 2017, a move China opposes.
“North Korea needs to know that provocations will only invite more pressure and further deepen its isolation”, US President Barack Obama said Tuesday after talks with South Korean President Park Geun-hye in Laos. The U.N Council strongly condemned recent launches and said they were violating the ban on ballistic missile activity.
Seoul has announced plans to deploy a USA anti-missile system in the wake of the North’s repeated missile launches.
Last month, North Korea fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile from the northeastern port of Sinpo.
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South Koreans watch a news program reporting about North Korea’s missile launch.
