25 May, 2017
Requests by South Koreans to resume exchange with the North will be considered "flexibly" within the range such interaction will not violate any existing sanctions, Lee added.
The UN Security Council condemned North Korea's latest ballistic missile launch and expressed concern over the Asian state's "highly destabilising behaviour and flagrant and provocative defiance" of the 15-member body.
When asked on Tuesday if Beijing was talking to Washington about possible new sanctions, China's U.N. Ambassador Liu Jieyi said: "It's up to the council to decide what we should do in the current situation". He continues to test.
Attacks blamed on North Korea in 2010 killed 50 South Koreans.
"We cannot absolutely tolerate the missile launch on May 21 and repeated provocative remarks and actions by North Korea", Japan's chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga said on Monday.
"You know, some say, oh, but sanctions haven't worked".
"It lets them know that they are on an island and we're all against them and that they need to correct their behavior".
The Pukguksong-2 missile flew about 500 km (310 miles), reaching an altitude of 560 km, and landed in waters off the North Korea's east coast, South Korea's military said on Sunday.
"We call on the DPRK to stop further testing and allow space to explore the resumption of meaningful dialogue".
The comments were directed at the United States, which has said it was willing to have a dialogue with North Korea if it halts its missile and nuclear tests.
Sunday's missile test came as US President Donald Trump was on his first trip overseas, visiting Saudi Arabia, Israel and the Vatican.
The two sides also reportedly shared their understanding that such trilateral economic projects could induce North Korea to move toward resolving its nuclear problem, agreeing in principle to resume a number of three-way projects that are now on hold.
So far nearly all the North's missiles have been liquid-fueled, meaning they have to be time-consumingly filled with propellant before launch.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un said "with pride" that the Pukguksong-2 was a "very accurate" missile and a "successful strategic weapon", KCNA said, adding he "approved the deployment of this weapon system for action".
The launch verified the reliability and accuracy of the solid-fuel engine's operation and stage separation and the late-stage guidance of the nuclear warhead which was recorded by a device mounted on the warhead, KCNA said.
Solid fuel missiles can be fired far more rapidly, dramatically shortening the time available for any attempt to intervene and prevent a launch.
"This is totally unacceptable", said Japanese Ambassador Koro Bessho after the council meeting.
North Korea has defied all calls to rein in its nuclear and missile programs, even from China, its lone major ally, saying the weapons are needed for legitimate self-defense.
The Security Council first imposed sanctions on Pyongyang in 2006 and ratcheted up the measures in response to five nuclear tests and two long-range missile launches.
