N. Korea rejects UNSC statement on missile test

North Korea on Thursday rejected the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) statement condemning its latest test firing of a medium-range ballistic missile.

The North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said Pyongyang "categorically" rejected the UNSC's presidential statement, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The intermediate-range strategic ballistic rocket launching drill carried out by the Strategic Force of the KPA (Korean People's Army) this time is only a curtain raiser to the resolute countermeasures to be taken against the US, as it responded to our warning by waging the belligerent Ulji Freedom Guardian joint drills," said the spokesman.

The spokesman said by holding the joint drills, the US "had denied the DPRK's proactive measures to defuse the extreme tension and acted with imprudence".

North Korea on Tuesday conducted a medium-range ballistic missile test firing from Pyongyang, in which the missile flew 2,700 km with an altitude of 550 km across northern Japan and hit its targeted waters in the north Pacific, calling it a prelude to further missile strikes in the Pacific against US targets.

The UN Security Council condemned the missile launch and asked North Korea not to proceed with any further launches using ballistic missile technology and to comply with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

--IANS

soni/vt