The UN Security Council discussed the adoption of a press statement denouncing North Korea's latest launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), but failed to reach a conclusion due to opposition from China and Russia.

During the council's open meeting held at UN headquarters in New York, most member states agreed that the ICBM test was a clear violation of UNSC resolutions.

U.S. ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the latest test poses a serious threat to the international community's nonproliferation efforts.

China's ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun, however, said North Korea broke its moratorium on ICBM testing because the U.S. did not keep its promise.

Anna Evstigneeva, Russian deputy ambassador to the UN, held both the U.S. and North Korea responsible for the lack of progress in denuclearization talks, and opposed Washington's call for enhanced sanctions on Pyongyang.

The meeting later switched to a close-door session and discussed producing a joint statement, but opposition from China and Russia persisted.

Ambassadors of Western allies including South Korea, the U.S. and Japan held a news conference after the meeting and condemned the ICBM launch and criticized the Security Council for remaining silent.

Thomas-Greenfield stressed that remaining silent in the hope that North Korea would similarly show restraint is a failed strategy.

[Photo : KBS News]