(LEAD) NSC 'strongly condemns' N. Korea's ballistic missile launch

(ATTN: ADDS remarks, details)
By Kim Deok-hyun

SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- The presidential National Security Council (NSC) said Wednesday it "strongly condemns" North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile as a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Following an emergency meeting held shortly after North Korea fired the missile toward the East Sea, the NSC called for Pyongyang to stop actions that pose a serious threat to the Korean Peninsula and the international society.

In a statement, the NSC said it "strongly condemns North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile today that clearly violates U.N. Security Council resolutions and defies international calls for peace and stability."

The NSC also "urges North Korea to stop its actions that pose serious threats to the Korean Peninsula, the region and the international community and swiftly return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy," the statement said.

The missile launch came less than a week before President-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's inauguration.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch from the Sunan area in Pyongyang at 12:03 p.m. and that the missile flew 470 kilometers at a top altitude of 780 km and speed of Mach 11.

The NSC said South Korea "will make every effort to protect our security by firmly responding to any threats based on our strong military capabilities and solid alliance with the U.S."

Outgoing President Moon Jae-in was briefed by National Security Advisor Suh Hoon about the North's latest launch and called for a watertight response, based on close coordination with the U.S., the NSC said.

So far this year, North Korea has conducted 14 rounds of missile launches, including the firing of an ICBM on March 24 that ended the North's self-imposed moratorium on long-range missile testing after four years.

Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un declared a resolve to further strengthen his regime's nuclear arsenal, as Pyongyang showcased its most powerful ICBMs at a military parade.

Concerns have persisted that the North could continue to carry out provocations, such as another ICBM launch or a nuclear test.

kdh@yna.co.kr
(END)