Secretary-General Condemns Missile Launch by Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General strongly condemns the launch of a ballistic missile of intercontinental range by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea as well as the barrage of various missiles over the past two days.

The Secretary-General reiterates his calls on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to immediately desist from taking any further provocative action and to fully comply with its international obligations under all relevant Security Council resolutions.  He is deeply concerned about the tension on the Korean Peninsula and troubled by the increase in confrontational rhetoric.

He strongly urges the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to take immediate steps to resume talks and asks all parties concerned to come together and to foster an environment that is conducive to dialogue with a view to achieving sustainable peace and the complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.