UN Security Council condemns North Korea rocket launch

ANKARA

The UN Security Council strongly condemned Sunday the launch of a long-range rocket by North Korea.

“The members of the Security Council understood that this launch, as well as any other DPRK launch that uses ballistic missile technology, even if characterized as a satellite launch or space launch vehicle, contributes to the DPRK’s development of nuclear weapon delivery systems and is a serious violation of the Security Council resolutions (…),” a statement adopted by the council said.

The Council gathered Sunday in a closed-door meeting to discuss the issue at the request of South Korea, Japan and the U.S.

The meeting was held hours after North Korea said it successfully blasted a satellite into orbit.

The official statement carried by Pyongyang's state-run media was backed up by a South Korean military official, who was quoted by local news agency Yonhap as admitting that "it's presumed that the projectile has entered into orbit."

The UN Security Council will adopt “expeditiously” a new resolution in response to these “dangerous and serious violations”, the statement added.