UNITED NATIONS, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations on Wednesday condemned Pyongyang's launch of two suspected missiles as an "irresponsible act" and an "unacceptable violation" of a ban imposed by relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
The reported launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is "in defiance of the unanimous will of the international community, (and) is a brazen and irresponsible act," Farhan Haq, the deputy UN spokesman, told reporters here.
"The continued pursuit by the DPRK of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles will only undermine its security and fail to improve the lives of its citizens," Haq said.
Haq made the remarks at a daily news briefing here ahead of a closed meeting of the UN Security Council on the DPRK's latest missile launch, which was held at the request of the United States and Japan.
"We want a quick and firm reaction of the Security Council on this," said Francois Delattre, the French UN ambassador who holds the rotating council presidency for this month.
"The ballistic launches (by Pyongyang) are a clear and unacceptable violation of the Security Council resolutions," Delattre told reporters here before the start of the council meeting. "The North Korean ballistic programme is a serious threat to regional and international peace and security."
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