January 7

The United Nations Security Council is planning to hold an emergency meeting next week to discuss North Korea's latest missile launch.

UN diplomatic sources said on Thursday that five countries, including the United States, Britain and France, have requested the emergency meeting of the Security Council. The sources said arrangements are being made to convene the meeting on Monday.

North Korea's ruling Workers' Party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, said on Thursday that the country test-fired a hypersonic missile the previous day.

Japan and the United States said the launch, which used ballistic missile technology, is a violation of Security Council resolutions.

The Security Council held emergency meetings when North Korea launched missiles in September and October last year. Western nations called for a statement condemning the launches, but China and Russia objected.

NHK