The U.N. Security Council is expected to adopt a chairman's statement Friday night, Korean time, on the sinking of South Korea’s "Cheonan" warship.

A Seoul official says the council circulated a draft of the statement among its five permanent members and also to South Korea and Japan in an informal meeting Thursday.

The source says the statement will likely be adopted in an official meeting around 10 p.m. Friday.

The draft expresses deep concerns regarding the South Korea-led international investigation results that concluded North Korea was responsible for the sinking of the Cheonan.

The statement says it's important to prevent similar attacks on South Korea. It also includes North Korea's stance denying any role in the incident.