North Korea threatens top UN body after emergency meeting

This picture taken on September 30, shows a test-fire of a “newly developed” anti-aircraft missile carried out by the DPRK. Pic/AFP

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 it 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. Under multiple UN Security Council resolutions, North Korea is banned from engaging in any ballistic missile activities as it 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.

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