UN Security Council condemns North Korea's missile launch

The UN Security Council on Sunday strongly condemned the launch using ballistic missile technology by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Saturday, said a press statement of the council.

"This launch, as well as any other DPRK launch that uses ballistic missile technology, even if characterised as a satellite launch or space launch vehicle, contributes to the DPRK's development of nuclear weapon delivery systems," Xinhua quoted the statement as saying.

The launch is a serious violation of Security Council resolutions 1718 (2006), 1874 (2009), 2087 (2013), and 2094 (2013), it said.

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 on January 6, it said.

They also recalled that they have previously expressed their determination to take "further significant measures" in the event of another DPRK launch, it said.

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, it said.

The statement was released after the Security Council met in an emergency session here on Sunday morning.