[Xinhua News Agency]
The United Nations Security Council on Tuesday strongly condemned North Korea's firing of a ballistic missile, saying it is a threat not just to the region but also to all of its member states.
During an emergency meeting, the 15-member body adopted a statement that also called on the North to stop provocations and take immediate action to reduce tensions in the region.
The North fired an intermediate range ballistic missile Tuesday (Korea time) that flew over northern Japan before falling into the Pacific Ocean. It came on the heels of the North's test of short-range ballistic missiles Saturday.
"The Security Council stresses that these DPRK actions are not just a threat to the region, but to all U.N. member states," the statement said.
"The Security Council expresses its grave concern that the DPRK is, by conducting such a launch over Japan as well as its recent actions and public statements, deliberately undermining regional peace and stability," it added.
DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's official name.
The statement called the latest missile launch an "outrageous" threat, in particular, to Japan and urged the North to "abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs." It also demanded the North stop "further nuclear tests or any further provocation."
The UNSC's relatively swift action came after it adopted a fresh sanctions resolution against North Korea earlier this month to punish Pyongyang for carrying out what it claimed to be two intercontinental ballistic missiles in July.
reporter
Yonhap News
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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