North Korea's latest missile launch suggests a major step forward in Kim Jong Un's quest to develop a nuclear tipped intercontinental ballistic missile that could strike the USA mainland, analysts say.
The series of launches has raised global alarms as the North has warned of firing an intercontinental ballistic missile which could be capable of reaching the Unites States, or of conducting a sixth nuclear test despite pressure from the worldwide community to refrain from doing so.
In the statement on Monday, the UN Security Council stressed on the importance of North Korea "immediately showing honest commitment to denuclearization through concrete action".
The 15-member Council warned that that the launches contributed to the development of nuclear weapons delivery systems and were greatly increasing tensions.
The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, said on ABC television that the United States has been working well with China and raised the possibility that new sanctions against North Korea could include oil imports.
The latest test came just days after South Korea's new liberal leader Moon Jae-in, who has expressed a desire to reach out to North Korea, took office.
North Korea said the missile it tested was created to carry a large-sized nuclear warhead. There are also some doubts about the missile reaching the altitude of 2,000 km (1,245 miles), with aviation expert Ron Bishop from Central Queensland University describing such a potent range non-typical and "a little bit of a stretch" rather than an accurate estimate while speaking to RT.
A missile launch over the weekend shows that North Korea's technology seems to be getting more sophisticated.
"The members of the Security Council agreed that the Security Council would continue to closely monitor the situation and take further significant measures including sanctions, in line with the Council's previously expressed determination", the Security Council said. However, the U.S. military disputed the claim, arguing that the projectile was more likely a mid-range missile, than an intercontinental one.
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McDowell said the increased velocity and altitude and the range of the launched missile, which appeared to be an improved version of the mid-range Musudan model, indicate that the communist state might have advanced its missile capabilities through its test launches over the years.
Several South Korean analysts, including Lee Illwoo, a Seoul-based commentator on military issues, said the missile flew higher and for a longer period than any other the North has ever test-fired.
The U.S. Pacific Command said Sunday's test flight "is not consistent with an intercontinental ballistic missile".
"North Korea has been a flagrant menace for far too long".
In response to Sunday's launch, Moon strongly condemned North Korea, saying there still remains the possibility of a productive inter-Korean dialogue but that the South would deal rigorously with any such provocation.
North Korea has also launched satellites into orbit on long-range rockets that share some of the same technology as missiles.
The White House has mooted talks with North Korea under the right conditions, which would include a halt to missile tests.
The U.N. council also plans to convene an emergency session Tuesday to discuss the North Korea issue at the request of the USA and Japan.
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