The U.N. Security Council on Monday slammed North Korea over its most recent ballistic missile test as yet another violation of past sanctions resolutions imposed on the country.

But North Korea dismissed again the denunciation, saying, "This is part of the normal process for bolstering the military capabilities for self-defense."

 northmissile2 (Credit: Rodong Sinmun)

(Rodong Sinmun)

North Korea on Sunday fired a ballistic missile that flew about 500 kilometers before falling into waters off its east coast. The country's official media said leader Kim Jong Un has approved the mass production and deployment of a new medium- to long-range ballistic missile following another "successful" test.

In line with previously issued press statements, the Security Council "strongly condemned" the latest launch and characterized it as "highly destabilizing behavior" which violates six previous sanctions resolutions that were imposed on Pyongyang beginning in 2006.

Also included in the text was an emphasis on the importance of the work of a sanctions committee set up by the council after North Korea's first nuclear test in 2006. The committee is comprised of the five permanent members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- and 10 elected members, currently including Japan.

North Korea said Tuesday it "flatly" rejects the statement "taking the advantage of the U.S. hostile policy" toward Pyongyang.

Through the country's state-run Korean Central News Agency, the Foreign Ministry said, "The United States and its followers' despicable act of taking issue with (North Korea's) measures for bolstering nuclear force will only result in increasing our hostility to them and furthering the efforts to diversify and modernize our own nuclear force."

In the U.N. statement, the committee is called upon to "redouble its efforts to improve global implementation of all measures" including by implementing "as soon as possible" the recommendations made by the eight-member panel of experts that works with the committee to monitor and report violations of sanctions measures.

The council members "vowed to fully and comprehensively" implement all the sanctions measures, particularly those that were laid out in the past two sanctions resolutions.

Last year, two sanctions resolutions were unanimously adopted that increasingly tightened restrictions on the North after two nuclear tests were conducted.

North Korea has so far carried out five such tests and has warned of its intentions to carry out a sixth. It has also threatened to conduct an intercontinental ballistic missile test.

The restrictions on the country have included measures such as limiting its coal exports, a move mainly impacting its sales to China, its closest trading partner.

As in past language, the Security Council said it will continue to monitor the situation and is prepared to take "further significant measures including sanctions, in line with the council's previously expressed determination."

The United States has been pressing for adopting more stringent measures, such as an oil embargo. As North Korea's closest ally, China has traditionally resisted such measures.

The text also stressed that the ballistic missile tests "are significantly contributing" to North Korea's development of nuclear weapons delivery systems and are increasing tensions in the region and beyond.

The nonbinding statement was released ahead of an emergency session that is to be held on Tuesday and was jointly called by the United States, Japan and South Korea.

 northmissile (Credit: Rodong Sinmun)

(Rodong Sinmun)