UNSC denounces N. Korea for conducting nuke test in violation of resolutions

NEW YORK, May 25 (Yonhap) -- The U.N. Security Council on Monday denounced North
Korea for its nuclear test earlier in the day, saying the test violated several
security council resolutions banning any further nuclear and ballistic missile
tests by North Korea.

Speaking to reporters after an emergency council session at the U.N. headquarters
here, Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, said council members "voiced
their strong opposition and condemnation of the nuclear test conducted on 25 May
2009 by North Korea, which constitutes a clear violation of (UN) Resolution
1718."
Churkin, who holds the rotating chair of the council this month, said the
15-member council agreed to immediately begin drafting a resolution to rebuke the
North's nuclear test, the second of its kind by the North since 2006.
North Korea said it had conducted a underground nuclear test earlier Monday
(Korea time).
The test invited strong criticism not only from the U.S. and its allies but also
from North Korea's allies, China and Russia, who had greatly diluted sanctions
against North Korea following its rocket launch in early April.
The U.N. presidential statement issued last month called for the imposition of
sanctions on three North Korean firms involved in trading of parts of weapons of
mass destruction while reiterating the council's calls for the North not to
conduct additional nuclear and missile tests.
China strongly demanded that North Korea "keep its promise of denuclearization
and cease all actions that could further worsen the situation," while Russia
feared the test would "provoke an escalation of tensions in Northeast Asia."
Diplomatic sources here said that the council will likely adopt a legally binding
resolution. The U.S. and its allies compromised and agreed to the presidential
statement on North Korea's rocket launch in the face of opposition from China and
Russia, who hold veto powers in the council.
hdh@yna.co.kr
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