UN Security Council slams DPRK satellite launch

UNITED NATIONS - The UN Security Council on Tuesday condemned the satellite launch on December 12 by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), saying that Pyongyang "used ballistic missile technology and was in violation of resolutions 1718 (2006) and 1874 (2009)."

The 15-nation UN body, in a unanimously-adopted resolution, said that it "condemns the DPRK's launch of December 12, 2012, which used ballistic missile technology and was in violation of resolutions 1718 (2006) and 1874 (2009)."

The Council "demands that the DPRK not proceed with any further launches using ballistic missile technology, and comply with resolutions 1718 (2006) and 1874 (2009) by suspending all activities related to its ballistic missiles program and in this context re-establishing its pre-existing commitments to a moratorium on missile launches," said the resolution.

In mid December, the DPRK's official KCNA news agency confirmed that the country launched and orbited an earth observation satellite.

According to the KCNA, a Unha-3 rocket carrying the second version of the Kwangmyongsong-3 satellite blasted off from the Sohae Space Center in Cholsan County, North Phyongan Province at 9: 49 a.m. local time (0049 GMT) on December 12.

The satellite entered its preset orbit 9 minutes and 27 seconds after the liftoff, said the agency.

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