N. Korea voices 'strong regret' over U.N. chief's criticism of its recent ICBM launch

SEOUL, Nov. 21 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's foreign minister on Monday voiced "strong regret" that the head of the United Nations condemned Pyongyang's recent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch, according to its state media.

"I express my strong regret over the fact that the UN secretary-general has taken a very deplorable attitude, oblivious of the purpose and principles of the UN Charter and its proper mission which is to maintain impartiality, objectivity and equity in all matters," Choe Son-hui said in an English-language statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency. "We recently warned the UN secretary-general to consider the issue of the Korean peninsula on the basis of impartiality and objectivity."

In a statement released Friday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned North Korea's firing of an ICBM earlier that day.

yunhwanchae@yna.co.kr
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