UNITED NATIONS, April 13 (Itar-Tass) —— The UN Security Council will meet on Friday to consider measures in response to the rocket launch by North Korea that failed on Friday, 13.
Before the launch Vitaly Churkin, Russia's Ambassador to the United Nations, said Security Council members don't have "clear agreement" about what steps to take if the launch goes ahead. "But one thing I can tell you: We have unanimity of understanding that if it were to happen, that would be a clear violation of two Security Council resolutions."
North Korea so far keeps mum about the launch while Japanese, South Korean and US military who tracked the launch said the rocket flew for only one minute and fell into the Yellow Sea.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command said “initial indications are that the first stage of the missile fell into the sea 165 km west of Seoul, South Korea. The remaining stages were assessed to have failed and no debris fell on land. At no time were the missile or the resultant debris a threat."
North Korea timed the launch of what it said was a satellite to the birth centenary of Kim Il-sung, the founder of the country, however the United States and North Korea’s neighbors suspected it to be a long-range missile launch.
The White House press secretary said the failed launch "threatens regional security, violates international law and contravenes recent commitments. North Korea is only further isolating itself by engaging in provocative acts, and is wasting its money on weapons and propaganda displays while the North Korean people go hungry."