N Korea rejects UN censure of missile test

North Korea on Thursday strongly criticised the UN Security Council's condemnation of its latest ballistic missiles test.

Kim Jong-un's regime said it "categorically rejects" the declaration and considers it "an intolerable act of encroaching upon its dignity, right to existence, sovereignty and right to self defence", EFE news cited KCNA as saying.

The UN executive body on Tuesday released a unanimous declaration by all member countries, strongly condemning the latest ballistic missile tests by North Korea.

It also urged Pyongyang to stop violating UN resolutions that prohibit the country from developing or testing ballistic missile technology.

North Korea on Monday test-fired three ballistic missiles from Hwangju in North Hwanghae province at around 12.14 p.m. The launch was the first since the successful firing of a submarine-launched missile on August 24.

It said the recent launch was conducted successfully without harming the security of neighbouring countries or the international waters.

In its declaration, the UN also urged all countries to "redouble their efforts" to ensure that the existing sanctions against North Korea are fully implemented and warned of the possibility of fresh sanctions against Pyongyang.

The UN Security Council imposed strong sanctions against North Korea in March, following nuclear and long-range missile tests by the country in January and February, respectively.

--IANS

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