Buchi Nwadiuto

North Korea Nuclear Launch And Hydrogen Test Buchi Nwadiuto

North Korea launched a satellite into space. Its state media reported, triggering a wave of international condemnation and prompting strong reaction from an emergency meeting of the U. N. Security Council. Though North Korea said the launch was for scientific and "peaceful purposes," it is being widely viewed by other nations as a front to test a ballistic missile, especially coming on the heels of North Korea's purported hydrogen bomb test last month. Pyongyang carried out both acts in defiance of international sanctions. At an emergency meeting, members of the U. N. Security Council "strongly condemned" the launch and reaffirmed that "a clear threat to international peace and security continues to exist, especially in the context of the nuclear test." Security Council members have previously threatened "further significant measures" if there was another North Korean launch and now will "adopt expeditiously a new Security Council resolution with such measures in response to these dangerous and serious violations," according to a statement read by Venezuela's ambassador to the United Nations after the meeting. U. N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the launch is "deeply deplorable" and in violation of Security Council Resolution.