NEW YORK: The UN Security Council will hold an emergency meeting Monday to discuss North Korean issues, the United Nations said Saturday.

The meeting was requested by countries including Japan and the United States, in response to North Korea’s firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile last Thursday.

North Korea has been banned from conducting ballistic missile launches under related Security Council resolutions adopted in and after 2006.

A sanctions resolution against North Korea adopted by the Security Council in December 2017 warned that the council will strengthen the restrictions on oil exports if the reclusive state launches a ballistic missile capable of reaching intercontinental ranges. As China and Russia opposed the sanctions, however, the Security Council has been unable to take concerted action.

In a statement released on Friday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he “strongly condemns” the launch of yet another ballistic missile of intercontinental range by North Korea.

JIJI Press