The United States and five other countries have condemned last week's missile launch by North Korea, calling on the North to engage in dialogue on its denuclearization. 

The countries said in a joint statement on Monday that they stand unified in their condemnation of the missile launch. 

In the statement delivered by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the countries said the North's continued pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs is a threat to international peace and security. 

The six countries said their goal remains the complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, adding that North Korea now must choose dialogue and peace over its unlawful and threatening weapons program. 

The statement, signed by the U.S., Japan, Albania, France, Ireland and Britain, was issued just before the UN Security Council was set to hold a closed meeting to discuss the matter.