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UNSC condemns N.Korea's latest ballistic missile launch

NEW YORK, May 22 (KUNA) -- The UN Security Council strongly condemned the most recent ballistic missile launch conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
The members of the Security Council expressed in a statement released Monday, their utmost concern over the DPRK's highly destabilizing behavior and flagrant and provocative defiance of the Security Council by conducting this ballistic missile launch in violation of its international obligations under UNSC resolutions.
The Council members agreed that the Security Council would continue to closely monitor the situation and take further significant measures including sanctions, in line with the Council's previously expressed determination.
They 15-member body vowed to fully and comprehensively implement all measures imposed on the DPRK by the Security Council and strongly urge all other member states to do so in an expeditious and serious manner, particularly the comprehensive measures contained in resolutions 2321 and 2270. This is in response to the flagrant act of defying the will of the UNSC to denuclearize the Democratic People's Republic of Korea emphasized on April 28 at the Ministerial Security Council meeting.
Further, the Council members called on the 1718 Committee to "redouble its efforts to improve global implementation of all measures, including by implementing the relevant feasible recommendations of the Panel of Experts as soon as possible." The members of the Security Council stressed that North Korea's illegal ballistic missile activities are significantly contributing to its development of nuclear weapons delivery systems and are greatly increasing tension in the region and beyond.
The statement further regretted that the DPRK is "diverting resources to the pursuit of ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons while Democratic People's Republic of Korea citizens have great unmet needs." The UNSC emphasized the vital importance of North Korea immediately showing sincere commitment to denuclearization through concrete action and stressed the importance of working to reduce tensions in the Korean Peninsula and beyond. To that end, the Security Council demanded the Democratic People's Republic of Korea conduct no further nuclear and ballistic missile tests.
The members of the Security Council reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in North-East Asia at large, expressed their commitment to a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to the situation, and welcomed efforts by Council members, as well as other States, to facilitate a peaceful and comprehensive solution through dialogue.
On the same issue, the UN Spokesperson Staphane Dujarric told the press at UN headquarters, what is clear is that, the DPRK is openly defying Security Council resolutions with its accelerated ballistic missile testing activities. These actions threaten regional and international security, he added.
therefore, the UN spokesperson called on the DPRK to stop further testing and allow space to explore the resumption of meaningful dialogue.
The UN Security Council to convene Tuesday an urgent meeting called by the US and Japan after the latest missile test. (end) mao.ibi