Asia-Pacific News

UN Security Council meets on North Korea's missile launch

Jul 6, 2009, 21:08 GMT

New York - The UN Security Council held discussion Monday on the reported North Korean launch of seven missiles in defiance of the UN resolution demanding at halt to such exercises.

The Pyongyang government fired the missiles on Saturday, which fell on Independence Day, the United States' national holiday, during which the council had planned no meeting.

It was not known what action the 15-nation Security Council might consider taking at its closed-door session. In the past, when North Korea test-fired missiles, the council has issued a condemnation.

When Pyongyang exploded a nuclear device on May 25, the council adopted a new set of tougher sanctions aiming at impeding North Korea's access to money and nuclear material and technology to pursue its nuclear ambitions.

The council condemned the May 25 nuclear explosion and demanded that North Korea not 'conduct any further nuclear test or any launch using ballistic missile technology.' North Korea exploded its first nuclear bomb in October 2006.