South Korea condemns North Korea's launch of ballistic missile

People watch a TV at Seoul Railway Station, March 5, showing a file image of North Korea's missile launch during a news program. AP-Yonhap

The presidential National Security Council (NSC) condemned North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile, Saturday, and called for Pyongyang to immediately stop acts that raise tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

National security adviser Suh Hoon presided over the meeting, shortly after North Korea fired an unidentified projectile, which was later described by the South's military as a ballistic missile, toward the East Sea.

NSC members said that North Korea's repeated launching of ballistic missiles "goes against peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," a Cheong Wa Dae statement said.

The NSC "condemned" the North's firing of ballistic missiles that "violate U.N. Security Council resolutions," it said.

The NSC said the missile launch came at a "grave time," citing Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Beijing Winter Paralympics and the upcoming presidential vote in South Korea; urging the North "to immediately stop acts that raise tensions."

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NSC members also plan to step up their monitoring of the North's nuclear and missile facilities and actively draw up countermeasures, if needed, according to the statement.

South Korea's military said the North's ballistic missile flew around 270 km at an altitude of 550 km.

Saturday's launch, which marked the North's ninth show of force this year, came just four days before South Korea holds a presidential election.

The launch came less than a week after North Korea claimed to have conducted a test for the development of a "reconnaissance satellite" despite South Korea's characterization of it as a ballistic missile launch.

The North conducted seven missile tests in January, including an intermediate-range ballistic missile launch. (Yonhap)