UN chief deplores North Korea's missile launches

United Nations, July 18: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon deplored the recent missile launches by North Korea, urging it to work towards building mutual trust with its neighbours.

"The secretary-general deplores the continued missile launches conducted by the North Korea," Xinhua quoted a statement citing Ban.

"These launches clearly violate the resolutions of the Security Council banning the North Korea from conducting any launch using ballistic missile technology," the statement said.

The statement said that Ban is in close contact with all concerned parties and continues to explore constructive ways to assist in the collective work toward peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea Monday fired some 100 rounds of artillery shells into a region north of the military demarcation line.

North Korea has launched more than 90 short and medium range missiles and shells since Feb 21.

On July 13, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles, into the eastern waters from its southern border city of Kaesong, some 20 km north of the military demarcation line.

The missiles flew about 500 km.

The launches came ahead of a joint maritime exercise that will involve US aircraft carrier USS George Washington and the ROK battleships in southern and southwestern waters off the Korean Peninsula from July 16-21.

IANS