The National Assembly endorsed a resolution censuring North Korea’s recent rocket launch on Wednesday, demanding additional retaliation measures from the Seoul government. (Image : Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Korea Bizwire) – The National Assembly endorsed a resolution censuring North Korea’s recent rocket launch on Wednesday, demanding additional retaliation measures from the Seoul government.
The resolution, which was put to a vote during an extra session, was passed 243-0, with five abstentions, three days after the North fired off a long-range rocket and placed a satellite into orbit.
The resolution urges Pyongyang to stop weapons development and become a responsible member of the international community, stressing repeated provocations will only deepen the impoverished regime’s isolation.
“North Korea’s long-range missile launch, in addition to the fourth nuclear test, is a clear violation of the U.N. resolutions,” it said.
Defining the launch as a provocation that exacerbates tensions on the Korean Peninsula and the international community, the resolution urged the North to change its course of action.
South Korean lawmakers also said they will cooperate with the government and the international community to come up with strong countermeasures to stop the recurrence of such provocations.
It marks the second resolution denouncing the North since the assembly unanimously passed a resolution condemning its fourth nuclear test last month.
South Korea is currently working with the U.S., Japan and other regional powers for the swift adoption of a U.N. resolution to slap strong sanctions on North Korea.
North Korea has already been under U.N. sanctions for its three previous nuclear tests: in 2006, 2009 and 2013.’
(Yonhap)
