The United Nations Security Council members "are disturbed by reports of additional missile launches" by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the Council's rotating president said on Thursday.

"We are disturbed by the reports of additional missile launches" by the DPRK, said Ugandan UN Ambassador Ruhakana Rugunda, who holds the rotating Council presidency for July. "The Council has recently tightened sanctions. The Council will remain closely seized of the situation."

Rugunda made the remarks at a press conference here to brief reporters on the Council's program of work for this month.

The DPRK fired four short-range missiles off its east coast on Thursday, the Republic of Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported.

The DPRK fired the first missile at 05:20 p.m. (0820 GMT) and the other three at 06:00 p.m., 07:50 p.m. and 09:20 p.m. respectively from Sinsang-ni between the eastern coastal city of Hamhung and Wonsan, the report quoted an ROK official as saying.

"The Council was concerned that prior resolution has not been properly respected," said Rugunda.

However, the Council president said that he has not received any request for Council consultations by press time.

On June 12, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution condemning "in the strongest terms" a recent nuclear test conducted by the DPRK, and imposing new sanctions on Pyongyang. It demanded that the DPRK "not conduct any further nuclear test or any launch using ballistic missile technology."

The Security Council "condemns in the strongest terms the nuclear test conducted by the DPRK on May 25, 2009 (local time) in violation and flagrant disregard of its relevant resolutions, in particular resolutions 1695 (2006) and 1718 (2006), and the statement of its president of April 13, 2009," the resolution said.

The 15-nation Council "demands that the DPRK not conduct any further nuclear test or any launch using ballistic missile technology," said the resolution.

Source: Xinhua