DPRK says not to follow deal with US

PYONGYANG - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Tuesday said it now wasn't obliged to a major deal with the United States and would continue to launch satellites, the official KCNA news agency said.

The DPRK also rejected a latest UN Security Council presidential statement condemning its satellite launch, the agency cited a foreign ministry official as saying.

The official said the DPRK would continue to explore space for peace purposes, and develop satellite launching skills necessary for the country's economic development.

The official stressed the DPRK would no longer be confined by the Feb. 29 US-DPRK agreement, as the Unites States had completely breached it with confrontational acts.

In the agreement, the DPRK agreed to impose a moratorium on nuclear tests and long-range missile launches and allow international nuclear inspectors to return to the country. In return, the United States agreed to provide the country with 240,000 tons of food aid.

Pyongyang last month announced its decision to launch a satellite between April 12 and 16 to mark the 100th birthday of late DPRK founder Kim Il Sung.

The DPRK confirmed the earth observation satellite launched earlier on Friday morning failed to enter orbit.

The United States had all along fiercely opposed the launch, which it said was a disguised long-range ballistic missile test, and had therefore suspended food aid to the DPRK, promised in the Feb. 29 deal.

On Monday, the UN Security Council, in the presidential statement, strongly condemned the DPRK satellite launch, saying the move raised "grave security concerns."

It demanded Pyongyang's full compliance with relevant Security Council resolutions by suspending all activities related to its ballistic missile program and reestablish a moratorium on missile launches.

The Security Council also expresses its determination to take action accordingly in the event of a further DPRK launch or nuclear test.

China on Monday called for more dialogue and consultations after the UN Security Council's strong condemnation, as Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said "it has been proven that dialogue and consultations are the only correct way to solve problems."