NEW YORK: Japan, the United States, Britain and eight other countries on Monday denounced North Korea’s ballistic missile launch on Sunday.

In a joint statement released after an emergency closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council, the 11 countries said of repeated missile launches by North Korea, “We condemn these unlawful and destabilizing actions in the strongest terms.”

The Security Council meeting was called in response to Sunday’s missile firing, which was North Korea’s eighth round of missile launches this year.

Japan, the United States and others have released joint statements denouncing North Korea multiple times since the country stepped up missile launches after the turn of the year.

The latest statement was joined newly by South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. The participants hope that the expanded support for the denunciation will lead to strengthened diplomatic pressure on North Korea at a time when China and Russia remain close to the reclusive state.

North Korea claims to have conducted a camera system test for a reconnaissance satellite on Sunday.

“This launch is a clear violation of multiple (Security Council) resolutions” that prohibit North Korea from conducting launches using ballistic missile technology, the joint statement said.

JIJI Press