The United States has reportedly called an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council regarding North Korea on Thursday in relation to the recent test launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile by the North.

Reuters and AFP issued the report on Tuesday citing diplomatic sources, saying that Britain and France joined the request.

The UN Security Council meeting is expected to be held behind closed doors. Russia, chairing the Security Council for the month of February, will reportedly decide the timing.

The U.S.' request comes after North Korea said on Monday that it test-fired a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile the previous day from its northern Jagang Province toward the East Sea.

The North previously launched the Hwasong-12 in September 2017 and the latest firing was its longest-range missile test since launching the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile(ICBM) in November that same year.

Amid concerns about the North's missile test, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres denounced the launch as a violation of Security Council resolutions and the North's self-imposed moratorium on long-range missiles and nuclear tests.

[Photo : YONHAP News]