"These launches are in grave violation of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's international obligations under United Nations Security Council resolutions," said the statement issued after the council held an emergency meeting on the issue.

The North fired off a new intermediate-range ballistic missile from an air base in the western province of North Pyongan early Sunday. The South Korean military said the missile reached a height of 550 kilometers and flew about 500 km before splashing into the East Sea.

The Security Council members "deplore" all the North's ballistic missile activities, as such activities contribute to the North's development of nuclear weapons delivery systems and increase tension, the statement said.

"The members of the Security Council reiterated that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea shall refrain from further actions, including nuclear tests, in violation of the relevant Security Council resolutions, and comply fully with its obligations under these resolutions," the statement said.

The council also called on all UN member states to fully implement sanctions on the North.

"The members of the Security Council agreed that the Security Council would continue to closely monitor the situation and take further significant measures, in line with the Council's previously expressed determination," the statement said.

Earlier in the day, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also denounced the North's missile launch as a violation of Security Council resolutions and urged the communist regime to abide by its international obligations.

"The secretary-general strongly condemns the launch of another ballistic missile by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on 12 February," Farhan Haq, deputy UN spokesman, said in a statement. "This action is a further troubling violation of Security Council resolutions.

"The DPRK leadership must return to full compliance with its international obligations and to the path of denuclearization. The secretary-general appeals to the international community to continue to address this situation in a united manner." (Yonhap)