▲ North Korea fires a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on July 12, 2023, in this photo released by the North's official Korean Central News Agency. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un guided the launch and the missile flew 1,001 kilometers for 4,491 seconds at a maximum altitude of 6,648 km before splashing into the East Sea, the North said. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

UNSC-NK missile launch

U.N. Security Council to hold meeting on N.K. missile launch

SEOUL, July 13 (Yonhap) -- The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will hold an urgent meeting Thursday (New York time) to discuss North Korea's latest missile launch and South Korea will join the session as an observer, Seoul officials said.

The announcement came after the North test-fired a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) toward the East Sea on Wednesday. It marked the North's second solid-propellant ICBM launch following its first test-firing on April 13.

The missile launch came amid rising tensions after Pyongyang accused U.S. spy planes of "intruding" into the airspace over its exclusive economic zone and had warned it would take counteractions.

Officials in Seoul said South Korea will attend as an interested party for the UNSC meeting, as it is closely coordinating with countries like the United States and Japan over the matter.

"We call for a firm and united response from the UNSC to North Korea's repeated violations of UNSC resolutions," the official said.

North Korea is banned from any launch using ballistic missile technology under UNSC sanctions.

The UNSC meeting is taking place at the request of the U.S., France, Japan, Albania, Malta and the United Kingdom, according to a Reuters report.

South Korea is currently not one of the UNSC non-permanent members. The five permanent members are the U.S., China, France, Russia and Britain.

(END)

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]