U.N. Security Council issues joint statement on North Korea missile tests

NEW YORK, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- The United Nations Security Council condemned North Korea's recent launch of three ballistic missiles, calling the provocation a serious breach of past resolutions.

Members of the Security Council including China were quick to denounce the missile tests that took place while Beijing was hosting the G20 meeting in Hangzhou, Yonhap reported.

The statement from the Security Council issued on Tuesday is the ninth press statement the U.N. body has issued in 2016.

This time member states agreed to take "additional measures," inviting the possibility of further sanctions against Pyongyang.

The Security Council passed sanctions against North Korea on March 2 after Pyongyang conducted its fourth nuclear test in January.

The meeting convened after the United States, South Korea and Japan requested an emergency assembly in response to the missile tests.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power said North Korea has conducted 22 separate provocations and is developing its ballistic missiles program.

Hahn Choong-hee, ambassador and deputy permanent representative of South Korea to the U.N., said the missile launches were posing a serious threat to the region.

Pyongyang's weapons development is taking place at the expense of ordinary North Koreans, Hahn said Tuesday.

Chinese Ambassador Liu Jieyi said China supports the press statement.

In early August China's position on the deployment of THAAD in South Korea delayed a press statement, according to a U.N. official who spoke anonymously to Yonhap.