The North Korean ambassador to the United States spoke before the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday.
Ambassador Kim Song defended North Korea’s test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile on Wednesday, calling it a legitimate exercise in national self-defense.
“Exercise of the right to self-defense is a legitimate right of a sovereign state which nobody can deny as it is recognized under the UN Charter and international law,” Kim said.
North Korea on Wednesday fired a submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missile toward the East Sea, reigniting perennial tensions in the region.
NORTH KOREA FIRES INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE TOWARD EAST SEA: SOUTH KOREA MILITARY
Chair of the delegation of North Korea, Kim Song, speaks during General debate of the 74th session of the U.N. General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. (JOHANNES EISELE/AFP via Getty Images)
South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff announced in a statement that it detected the ballistic missile launch near the North’s capital of Pyongyang, just days after the hermit nation promised “shocking” consequences to protest what it called a provocative U.S. reconnaissance activity near its territory.
She also said the U.S. aircraft crossed the eastern sea boundary again at around 8:50 a.m., prompting North Korea’s military to issue an unspecified “strong warning” toward the United States.