High-level nuclear envoys from South Korea, the United States and Japan strongly condemned North Korea's third launch of a military reconnaissance satellite and warned that the regime cannot achieve its goals with threats or provocations.

According to Seoul's foreign ministry on Wednesday, Kim Gunn, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, discussed three-way coordination on the phone with the U.S. deputy, Jung Pak, and Hiroyuki Namazu from Japan.

The trio denounced the launch as a direct violation of UN Security Council resolutions that ban Pyongyang's use of ballistic missile technology in launches and a threat to peace and stability on the peninsula and in Northeast Asia.

They expressed deep concern over the threat posed by such acts to the safety of aircraft and vessels in the region in pushing ahead with a "deceptive" launch over an hour ahead of its pre-announced time period.

Stressing that repeated provocations by Pyongyang will result in the reinforcement of the allies’ coordination while further weakening the regime’s security and economy, the three sides pledged to take response steps through cooperation with the international community.

According to multiple government sources on Wednesday, the three are also consulting on a possible combined maritime exercise, including participation by the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier that arrived in Busan the previous day.

The drills are expected to proceed in waters near the peninsula on the weekend.

[Photo : YONHAP News]