UN condemns latest North Korea missile tests

The UN Security Council has strongly condemned two North Korean ballistic missile launches this week, calling them a "grave violation" of a ban on all ballistic missile activity that is contributing to the country's nuclear weapons program.

The council reiterated its demand that North Korea end its "flagrant" violations, halt all nuclear tests and ballistic missile activity, and comply with five UN sanctions resolutions imposed since the country's first nuclear test in 2006.

• AUDIO |WhyTrudeaushould establish ties with North Korea
• The unbearable futility of trying to deal with North Korea

In a statement approved by all 15 members, the council said Wednesday's launches contribute to North Korea's development of nuclear weapons delivery systems and increase tensions in the region.

One launch failed, but North Korean state media said another missile flew more than 1,400 kilometres, which would allow it to strike U.S. forces throughout the region. If true, it would be the first successful test of the Musudan mid-range missile with a potential 3,500-kilometre range that puts much of Asia and the Pacific within reach after five failures in about two months.

The Security Council urged all countries "to redouble their efforts" to fully implement sanctions against North Korea, especially those imposed in March, which were the toughest in two decades. Those sanctions include mandatory inspections of cargo leaving and entering North Korea by land, sea or air; a ban on all sales or transfers of small arms and light weapons to Pyongyang; and expulsion of diplomats from the North who engage in "illicit activities."

Approval of Thursday's statement by the UN's most powerful body followed an emergency council meeting on Wednesday called by the United States and Japan after consulting South Korea.

Previous launches condemned

The council had strongly condemned three previous ballistic missile launches on June 1.

The March sanctions reflected growing anger at what Pyongyang claims was its first hydrogen bomb test on Jan. 6 and a rocket launch in defiance of a ban on all nuclear-related activity. The ballistic missile tests have added to that anger and North Korea's total disregard of the five sanctions resolutions which are legally binding.

U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power sharply criticized North Korea's "inherently destabilizing behaviour" on Wednesday and stressed that a press statement would be a first step to respond to Pyongyang's latest launches.

"We're again looking to ensure accountability looking to identify again individuals, entities who may be responsible for this repeated series of tests that pose such a threat to international peace and security," she said.

Those people, companies and individuals could be added to the UN sanctions blacklist and be subjected to a global asset freeze and travel ban.

The Security Council statement also expressed regret that North Korea is diverting resources to the pursuit of ballistic missiles when its citizens "have great unmet needs."

Members reiterated "the importance of maintaining peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and in northeast Asia," and expressed the council's commitment to "a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to the situation."

The council also welcomed efforts by unnamed council members and other countries "to facilitate a peaceful and comprehensive solution through dialogue."

Japan examines rocket remains

Earlier Thursday, Japan began toexamine the suspected nose cone of a North Korean rocket thatwashed up on a Japanese beach, hoping to glean information on thereclusive state's ballistic missile program.

The red, white and blue item, believed to be half of thenose cone designed to protect the rocket's payload, was found ona beach in western Japan last Thursday and is suspected to comefrom a long-range, three-stage rocketfired by North Koreaon in Februarythat flew over Japan's southwest Okinawa island chain.

South Korean authorities recovered the other half.

"We will analyze the materials and the level of technologyused," a Japanese Ministry of Defence official said.

The pockmarked, 75-kilogram part almost two metres longand over a metre wide lay on a blanket and blue tarpaulin in aforecourt at the ministry.

The February launch, which North Korea saidput a satelliteinto orbithundreds of kilometres above Earth, came just weeksafter Pyongyangcarried out a nuclear bomb test, both indefiance of UNresolutions and sanctions.

• CBC IN NORTH KOREA |'I feel only pride': North Korea puts on unprecedented display of support for leader