North Korea Dismisses UN Criticism Over Ballistic Missile Launch.

New York: North Korea on Saturday 'rejected' UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' criticism of Pyongyang's recent intercontinental ballistic missile launch. "I express my strong dissatisfaction and categorically reject the unfair and prejudiced attitude of the UN secretary-general taking issue with the DPRK's (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) just exercise of its right to self-defence," Kim Yo Jong, a senior official and sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said in a statement published by state-run Korean Central News Agency. According to Anadolu Agency, on Thursday, Guterres 'strongly' condemned North Korea's launch of a long-range ballistic missile, stating that Pyongyang's repeated missile activities are "clear violations" of Security Council resolutions. "He (Guterres) has consistently called for de-escalation, the full implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions, an environment that is conducive to dialogue, and the resumption of talks," a UN spokesperson said. Responding to the condemnation, Kim Yo Jong remarked that the UN chief 'should not lose impartiality in fulfilling his important duty.' She further emphasized, "The DPRK will never tolerate any attempt to threaten the security environment of the state." The North Korean Foreign Ministry also voiced its disapproval of the US and other states for initiating a UN Security Council meeting next week to discuss Pyongyang's missile launch. It declared, "We will further augment practical efforts to contain the military threat of hostile forces and keep up the balance of force in the region." On Friday, North Korea announced it had launched an 'ultimate version' of the intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasongpho-19. In response to this development, Seoul imposed sanctions on four North Korean entities and 11 individuals, including a China-based diplomat, Choe Chol-min, for his involvement in procuring ballistic missile components and other dual-use items. Additionally, South Korea and the US conducted a joint drone strike drill for the first time on Friday, signaling heightened military readiness in the region.