U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday voiced concern at provocations and tensions on the Korean peninsula following reports that North Korea, formally known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), launched short-range guided missiles into the sea a day earlier.
Pyongyang's latest action comes despite repeated calls by the international community, including Ban and the U.N. Security Council, to the reclusive Asian nation to refrain from any actions that might exacerbate tensions on the Korean peninsula.
In February, North Korea had conducted its third and long-threatened nuclear test, which was in violation of previous Security Council sanctions. Pyongyang's defiant nuclear test had drawn widespread international condemnation, including from the U.N. Secretary-General.
The nuclear test prompted the Security Council to tighten sanctions on North Korea's trade and banking sectors, as well as travel by targeted officials. In response, the communist nation declared that it was canceling the 1953 Armistice Agreement that ended the Korean War.
Ban's spokesperson said on Sunday that the Secretary-General remained concerned about provocations and tensions on the Korean peninsula, "particularly given the risks of miscalculation and dangerous escalation."
The spokesperson added that the U.N. chief stands ready to help facilitate the process of peace and trust-building on the Korean peninsula.
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