Anchor: North Korea remained defiant despite efforts by the UN Security Council to show a united front at a special meeting to discuss the North's nuclear program. Pyongyang fired another ballistic missile on Saturday, the third this month.
Our Kim In-kyung has more.
 
Report: Pyongyang fired another ballistic missile only hours after the UN Security Council (UNSC) held a special meeting to rein in the North's nuclear program.
 
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North fired a ballistic missile northeast from near the Pukchang region in South Pyongan Province at around 5:30 Saturday morning.
 
The missile exploded minutes after the launch, but it is estimated to have flown to an altitude of up to 71 kilometers.
 
South Korean and U.S. military authorities are analyzing the type of missile fired and its flight distance.
 
The two authorities had been closely monitoring the North as it had been expected to test-fire a missile or conduct a nuclear test to commemorate the anniversary of the Korean People's Army this month.
 
The missile launch was the sixth this year and the third this month.
 
The South Korean military is maintaining its full readiness posture while closely keeping an eye on the possibility of additional provocations by the North. 
 
South Korea immediately condemned the missile launch and warned that the North will face strong punitive measures if it continues to reject denuclearization.
 
The UNSC meeting was convened Friday to tighten adherence to existing sanctions against the North and suggest new ones. 

The top diplomats from South Korea, the U.S. and Japan pointed to the urgency of Pyongyang's nuclear threat, saying it's time to contain North Korea.
Kim In-kyung, KBS World Radio News. 

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