North Korea Slams UN Security Council Over Missile Program, Accuses International Body of "Double Standards"

North Korea issued a stern warning to the United Nations Security Council on Sunday, saying the world body should "consider the consequences of criticizing the isolated country's missile program."

According to state news agency KCNA, Jo Chol Su, a top North Korean Foreign Ministry official, told the UN Security Council that it had better ponder what repercussions it will bring in the future if it tries to intrude on North Korea's sovereignty.

Jo also accused the UN body of having a "double-dealing standard" since it does not similarly condemn comparable weapons tests by the US and its allies.

North Korea launches new missiles

The council convened behind closed doors on Friday in response to demands from the US and other nations about the North's recent missile launches.

During the meeting, France circulated a suggested statement expressing worry over North Korea's missile launches and urging the council to implement its prohibition on ballistic missile launches by the pariah state.

The meeting on Friday came just one day after Pyongyang launched a newly developed anti-aircraft missile, the latest in a recent series of weapons tests that also included the launches of previously unseen hypersonic missiles, ballistic missiles, and a cruise missile with potential nuclear capabilities.

After a six-month break, North Korea resumed missile testing in September, firing newly built missiles with nuclear-armed warheads capable of reaching South Korea and Japan, both critical US allies.

North Korea is prohibited from participating in any ballistic missile operations by numerous UN Security Council resolutions because the nation intends to place nuclear weapons on its ballistic missiles.

The country has claimed that its nuclear program is intended to counter US military threats, although Washington has stated that it has no hostile intent toward Pyongyang, as per Daily Mail. Jo Chol Su lashed out at the UN, especially the US, for their treatment and criticism of North Korea's nuclear program.

Per NDTV, Korean leaders made their first phone contact that morning, according to Seoul's unification ministry, with the defense ministry adding that military hotlines were also back up and running.

Series of North Korea's missile programs increases tensions with the US

The two sides also revealed at the time that Kim and Moon had exchanged a series of letters since April in which they agreed that re-establishing hotlines would be a good first step toward restarting relations between the two rivals, who are still technically at war despite the end of their 1950-53 conflict.

However, the cross-border contact only lasted two weeks. In August, the North began ignoring requests, citing disagreements with joint military maneuvers between the US and South Korea.

Since January, the North, which had been biding its time since the change in US administrations, has conducted a series of tension-inducing missile launches.

It launched a long-range cruise missile in September, and earlier this week, it tested a hypersonic glide vehicle, which the South Korean military claimed looked to be in the early stages of development.

Since Pyongyang closed down inter-Korean communication channels in June 2020, they have mainly been silent. Experts said at the time that the decision may indicate North Korea's dissatisfaction with Soul's failure to relaunch inter-Korean business projects and persuade the US to remove sanctions.

Last week, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un asked for more dialogue, pointing out that his country declined to send messages after Seoul held annual military drills with the US, as per Fox News.

While the government continues to test missiles, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki recently disclosed that Kim has rejected President Joe Biden's suggestions.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in projected that North Korea will be denuclearized by the end of his term in 2022 and that North and South Korea would reunite by 2045 after President Donald Trump defied expectations by becoming the first US president to visit North Korea.