North Korea condemns UN members' sanctions enforcement as 'provocations'

The U.N. Security Council holds an emergency meeting at U.N. Headquarters in New York City, April 14. AFP-Yonhap

North Korea on Monday denounced efforts by the international community to implement U.N. Security Council (UNSC) sanctions resolutions against the North as "provocations" that spark tension and instability in the region.

The North's chief of the external policy section at the foreign ministry claimed that countries, including Australia, Britain, Canada, France, Germany and New Zealand, deployed warships and warplanes to the Asia-Pacific region under the pretext of monitoring UNSC sanctions resolutions.

North Korea's foreign ministry "expresses serious concern over the irresponsible behaviors of some countries taking advantage of the U.S. hostile policy and hegemonic strategy against independent sovereign states and urges them to immediately stop the provocations," the official said in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency.

The North appears to point to a joint maritime patrol that South Korea and Britain carried out in April in waters near the Korean Peninsula to enforce UNSC sanctions resolutions against North Korea.

North Korea warned of taking "necessary measures" to defend its sovereignty and security against such acts.

"If the intervention by force is their policy against the DPRK, it cannot but reconsider its policy stand toward them in line with its interests," the official said. (Yonhap)