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| ▲ Cheong Wa Dae (Yonhap) |
(LEAD) S Korea-NK missile
(LEAD) S. Korea condemns N. Korea's missile launch, urges it to cease provocations
(ATTN: ADDS more details in last 3 paras, byline)
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Jan. 27 (Yonhap) -- The presidential Office of National Security on Tuesday condemned North Korea's latest ballistic missile launch as a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and urged Pyongyang to immediately cease provocations.
The office convened an emergency security meeting with military officials shortly after North Korea fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea.
"North Korea's ballistic missile launch is a provocative act that violates U.N. Security Council resolutions," the office said in a statement, calling on Pyongyang to "immediately cease" such actions.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected the launches from an area north of Pyongyang at around 3:50 p.m., adding that the missiles flew about 350 kilometers. South Korean and U.S. authorities are analyzing the exact details of the launch.
The office said it reported the North's missile launch and South Korea's response measures to President Lee Jae Myung.
The launch came as Pyongyang is widely expected to hold its ruling party's first congress in five years early next month, an event at which North Korea is expected to outline major policy directions on defense, diplomacy and the economy.
North Korea last fired ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Jan. 4, as President Lee was preparing to depart for Beijing for summit talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The North later said the launch involved a test of hypersonic missiles, attended by leader Kim Jong-un.
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