Koreas on High Tensions, UNSCR Expected on Rocket Launch
Local Editor
South Korea opened fire on a North Korean patrol boat just a day after Pyongyang drew widespread condemnation by launching a long-range missile.
According to the South's Defense Ministry, the incident happened while the boat was sailing on the two countries' disputed boundary line in the Yellow Sea on Monday.
Consequently, the boat retreated after five warning shots were fired into waters surrounding it.
Meanwhile, Navel skirmishes are not considered unusual between the two rivals along the line which the North has disputed since it was unilaterally determined by the United Nations following the 1950-53 Korean War.
In a related context, North Korea successfully launched a rocket on Sunday, saying that it carried a satellite into space. For their part, the West and some regional countries considered that such launches are in fact ballistic missile tests.
In parallel, South Korean President Park Geun-hye called for heightened vigilance against any further provocation following the launch and North Korea's fourth nuclear test last month.
Relatively, the UN Security Council President Rafael Ramirez said the organization strongly condemned the North's rocket launch, promising to pass a new resolution in response to the move by Pyongyang.
The document may be adopted "in the coming days," Ramirez added, calling the North Korean rocket launch "a serious violation of Security Council resolutions."
The statement was backed by all UNSC members, including Pyongyang's ally, China, during a two hour long emergency meeting on Sunday.
Earlier on Sunday, Pyongyang stated that it had successfully put an earth observation satellite into orbit, with the announcement triggering international concern as a potential long-range missile test.
Besides, the US and China reportedly began discussing a UN sanctions resolution against the North after it successfully tested a hydrogen bomb underground on January 6.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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