Britain 'strongly condemns' N. Korea rocket launch

Britain strongly condemned North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket on Sunday and warned of a "robust response" if Pyongyang continued to violate UN resolutions. "I strongly condemn North Korea's ballistic missile technology test," Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said in a statement. "This is a clear and deliberate violation of a number of UN Security Council resolutions. "North Korea's actions continue to present a threat to regional and international security. "In conducting this provocation, North Korea has clearly demonstrated that it is intent on prioritising the development of its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes over improving the well-being of its own people." North Korea said Sunday it had successfully put a satellite into orbit, with a rocket launch widely condemned as another defiant step towards a missile capable of striking the US mainland. "As North Korea is aware, the UN Security Council unanimously agreed to take significant measures against any further launches or nuclear tests. We will now meet with our partners in New York to agree a collective response." The Foreign Office said Britain would work with its allies to ensure a "robust response" if North Korea persisted in violating UN resolutions. It said Pyongyang would be told that such actions would "only serve to isolate the country further". Britain, which has a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, is one of only around two dozen countries with an embassy in North Korea.