North Korea on Tuesday rejected a United Nations Security Council press statement issued on Monday condemning its test-firing of a medium long-range ballistic missile.
A spokesman of North Korea Foreign Ministry said that Pyongyang "categorically and totally rejects the UNSC's statement which called into question its bolstering of nuclear deterrence for self-defense," according to the Korean Central News Agency.
"The right of self-defense is the first criterion of sovereignty. Therefore, the accusation against it is an undisguised encroachment upon sovereignty and an act of rude interference in internal affairs," said the spokesman.
North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile on Sunday which hit a target some 780 km away into the East Sea, according to its official media.
The UNSC and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday both slammed the missile launches conducted by North Korea.
The Security Council "strongly condemned the most recent ballistic missile launches" conducted by Pyongyang on April 28 and May 13, the 15-nation UN body said in a press statement.
--IANS
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