The United Nations strongly condemns the unacceptable ballistic missile tests that North Korea has fired.
In a closed door meeting called by the United States, the UN Council discussed the two medium-ranged ballistic missiles that North Korea recently released. UN stated in a report of The Guardian that these tests "constituted a clear violation of UN security council resolutions."
UN's Council members "strongly condemned and expressed grave concern at the ballistic missile launches" and ordered that North Korea "shall refrain from further actions in violation" of UN resolutions.
For the sixth time since 2006, North Korea has received yet another tough sanction for the same offense - test fiiring atomic devices. The latest missile launches came a day after U.S. president Barack Obama signed an order implementing the tough sanctions outlined in the recent UN resolution. In addition to that, Obama had also signed other unilateral U.S. measures.
Just two weeks ago, the UN Security Council had already imposed the toughest sanctions to North Korea for missile tests, as reported in BBC.
U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power emphasized the need for implementing the new sanctions resolution, the toughest sanction to date, to target North Korea's latest missile launching violation including their mining, trade, and financil sectors.
Power's statement according to Gulf News USA's report was, "If anybody on the council needed a reminder of why that resolution is so important...the North Korean regime just provided another one."
U.S. defense officials said the medium-range missiles, were fired off the country's east coast. It flew about 800km (500 miles) before falling into the water. The multiple missile tests and a nuclear warhead test were ordered by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
In the meeting, the officials said believe that North Korea fired medium-range Rodong missiles from road-mobile launch vehicles. Rodong missiles can affect up to a range of 1,300 kilometres (800 miles).
The Rodong tests could even hit Japan.
There is high possibility that North Korea will continue with their missile tests. Satellite imagery shows increased actvity in Punggye-ri, the main testing site at North Korea. The underground laboratories and tunnels at Punggye-ri could be maintained and cleaned up after the detonations of the missiles.
South Korea's Defense Ministry spokesperson, Moon Sang-Gyun, said "North Korea appears to be speeding up test launches to advance its nuclear capabilities."
