UNITED NATIONS — North Korea is calling a U.N. Security Council statement strongly condemning its four latest ballistic missile launches "a hostile act" perpetrated by the United States and is vowing to respond "as a full-fledged military power."
A Foreign Ministry statement sent to U.N. correspondents on Monday reiterated a warning that the U.S. "rash act" of finding fault with the North's latest missile firing from a submarine on Aug. 24 "would only precipitate its self-destruction."
A press statement approved Friday night by all 15 Security Council members, including North Korea ally China, called the four launches in July and August "grave violations" of a ban on all ballistic missile activity.
North Korea's Foreign Ministry accused the U.S. of instigating the statement to deter the country's "legitimate right to self-defense."
