S.Korean President Urges UNSC to Impose Sanctions Against N.Korea

Seoul is calling on the UN Security Council to impose harsh sanctions against Pyongyang after launched a rocket on Sunday, South Korean President Park Geun-hye said.

TOKYO (Sputnik) – Earlier Sunday, North Korea fired a long-range rocket, defying a UN Security Council resolution banning Pyongyang from launching rockets that may be used as long-range ballistic missiles carrying nuclear warheads.

"This is an unacceptable provocation," Park said, as quoted by the Japanese NHK broadcaster.

Earlier this week, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) confirmed it had received North Korea’s notification of plans to launch a satellite between February 8 and 25. Pyongyang later changed the launch dates by one day.

North Korea's Kwangmyongsong satellite launch has sparked concern in Japan and South Korea, with South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok previously saying that Seoul would consider any of Pyongyang’s satellite launches as a ballistic missile test.

Tensions over North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs escalated after Pyongyang said on January 6 that it had successfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test, triggering condemnation from the international community.