Photo provided by Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on March 7, 2017 shows top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un(unseen) recently supervising a ballistic rocket launching drill of the Korean People's Army (KPA). (Xinhua/KCNA)
UNITED NATIONS, March 23 -- The UN Security Council on Thursday strongly condemned the most recent ballistic missile launch conducted by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on March 21 and a ballistic missile engine test on March 19.
"The launch and engine test are in grave violation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's international obligations under United Nations Security Council resolutions 1718 (2006), 1874 (2009), 2087 (2013), 2094 (2013), 2270 (2016), and 2321 (2016)," according to a Security Council press statement.
The members of the Security Council deplore all the DPRK ballistic missile activities, including this launch and the engine test, noting that such activities contribute to the DPRK's development of nuclear weapons delivery systems and increase tension in the region and beyond as well as the risk of a regional arms race," it says.
They "further regretted" that the DPRK is diverting resources to the pursuit of ballistic missiles while DPRK citizens "have great unmet needs," according to the statement.
They reiterated that the DPRK shall refrain from further actions, including nuclear tests, in violation of the relevant Security Council resolutions, and comply fully with its obligations under these resolutions," says the statement.
They called upon all Member States to "redouble their efforts" to implement fully the measures imposed on the DPRK by the Security Council, particularly the comprehensive measures contained in resolutions 2321 (2016) and 2270 (2016), the statement says.
They agreed that the Security Council would continue to closely monitor the situation and take further significant measures, in line with the Council's previously expressed determination, according to the statement.
