This Sept. 28, 2021, file photo provided by the North Korean government shows what North Korea claims to be a new hypersonic missile launched from Toyang-ri, Ryongrim County, Jagang Province, North Korea. North Korea on Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021 warned the United Nation's top body against making any statements criticizing the isolated country's missile program, in a statement that included unspecified threats against the international body. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (AP File Photo)
Seoul, October 3 (AP): North Korea has warned the UN Security Council against criticising the isolated country's missile programme, in a statement Sunday that included unspecified threats against the international body.
During an emergency closed-door meeting of the top UN body Friday, France circulated a proposed statement that expresses concern over North Korea's missile launches and calls on it to fully implement council resolutions that ban its ballistic missile firings.
On Sunday, Jo Chol Su, a senior North Korean Foreign Ministry official, warned the UN council it had better think what consequences it will bring in the future in case it tries to encroach upon the sovereignty of North Korea.
Jo also accused the U.N. body of a double-dealing standard" because it doesn't equally take issue with similar weapons tests by the United States and its allies, according to the statement circulated by state media.
After a six-month hiatus, North Korea resumed missile tests in September, launching newly developed missiles including nuclear-capable weapons that place South Korea and Japan, both key US allies, within their striking distances. The country still offered conditional talks with South Korea, in what some experts call an attempt to pressure Seoul to persuade Washington to relax crippling economic sanctions on it.
Under multiple UN Security Council resolutions, North Korea is banned from engaging in any ballistic missile activities as the country aims to mount nuclear weapons on its ballistic missiles. North Korea has argued its nuclear programme is meant to cope with US military threats, though Washington has said it has no hostile intent toward Pyongyang.
Despite its recent launches, North Korea maintains a 2018 self-imposed moratorium on a long-range missile directly threatening the American homeland, a sign that it still wants to keep alive chances for future diplomacy with the US.
US officials have urged North Korea to return to talks without preconditions, but the North has argued it won't do so unless the Americans drop their "hostile policy, in an apparent reference to the sanctions and regular military drills between Washington and Seoul.
Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from news agency feeds and has not been edited by The Morung Express.
Source: PTI/AP
