South Korea has hailed the adoption of new sanctions by the United Nations Security Council on North Korea, urging Pyongyang to immediately halt provocation and engage in dialogue for its denuclearization.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuck said on Sunday in a statement that Seoul welcomes the UNSC’s unanimous adoption of Resolution 2371 in response to the North’s two intercontinental ballistic missiles tests last month.

The statement said that the sanctions strongly condemn the recent launch of ballistic missiles and show the international community's unified resolve not to allow such provocations to continue.

The government called upon North Korea to take the warning by the international community seriously and immediately halt reckless provocation threatening global peace and stability and engage in talks for peace and denuclearization.

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