NEW YORK, Feb. 07 (MNA) � UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called North Korea's long-range rocket launch "deeply deplorable" and urged the nation to halt its provocative actions.


"It is deeply deplorable that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has conducted a launch using ballistic missile technology in violation of relevant Security Council resolutions on 6 Feb. 2016 despite the united plea of the international community against such an act," Ban's office said in a statement.

"The secretary-general reiterates his call on the DPRK to halt its provocative actions and return to compliance with its international obligations. He reaffirms his commitment to working with all sides in reducing tensions and achieving the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," it said.

By Mehr News Agency