U.N. Security Council Divided over N. Korea Missile

New York, Oct. 5 (Jiji Press)--The U.N. Security Council was divided over North Korea's ballistic missile launch over Japan at a meeting on Wednesday, failing to issue a statement for the press on the matter.

Western countries condemned Tuesday's missile firing by Pyongyang, while China and Russia claimed that the launch is blamed on the United States.

The meeting was joined by representatives from Japan and South Korea as well. U.N. Security Council resolutions ban North Korea from launching ballistic missiles.

After the meeting, 11 countries, including Japan, the United States and South Korea, said in a joint statement that they "strongly condemn" the missile launch.

"It is regrettable that (the Security Council) couldn't express a united position over a serious violation of resolutions," Japanese Ambassador to the United Nations Kimihiro Ishikane told reporters.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]