The UN Security Council condemned North Korea's firing of a ballistic missile over Japan as an "outrageous" act and demanded that Pyongyang not launch any more missiles and abandon all nuclear weapons and programmes.

In a statement ysterday, the 15-member Security Council said it was of "vital importance" that North Korea – also known as the DPRK – take immediate, concrete actions to reduce tensions and called on all states to implement UN sanctions on Pyongyang.

"The Security Council further condemns the DPRK for its outrageous actions and demands that the DPRK immediately cease all such actions. The Security Council stresses that these DPRK actions are not just a threat to the region, but to all UN member states," the statement says.

The council also expressed "its commitment to a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution."

US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley told the council: "The world is united against North Korea, there is no doubt about that, it is time for the North Korea regime to recognise the danger they are putting themselves in. The United States will not allow their lawlessness to continue."

While the US-drafted statement did not threaten new sanctions on North Korea, Japan's UN Ambassador Koro Bessho told reporters: "I certainly hope that we'll be able to have a strong resolution following up this... statement."

Diplomats say veto-wielding council members China and Russia typically only view a test of a long-range missile or a nuclear weapon as a trigger for further possible UN sanctions. North Korea has been under UN sanctions since 2006 over its ballistic missile and nuclear programmes.

The Security Council earlier this month unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea that could slash by a third the Asian state's US$3 billion annual export revenue, after it staged two long-range missile launches in July.

Avoid provocative actions, says China

China's UN Ambassador Liu Jieyi called on all parties to exercise restraint and "avoid mutually provocative actions that might exacerbate the regional situation."

Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the council there "can be no military solution to the issues plaguing the Korean Peninsula."

China and Russia called for a halt to the US deployment of a missile defence system, known as Thaad, in South Korea.

Nebenzia added that joint US and South Korean military exercises should be scaled down.

They also objected to countries imposing unilateral sanctions on people or companies linked to North Korea. Last week, the United States blacklisted 16 Chinese, Russian and Singaporean companies and individuals for trading with banned North Korean entities.

Malaysia also condemned the launch of the ballistic missile by North Korea.

In a statement today, Wisma Putra said such a provocative action was a clear violation of the UN Security Council resolutions and it was done in response to the defence exercise carried out by the US of America and South Korea annually.

"This action by North Korea will only escalates the growing tension in the Korean Peninsula and delay efforts by the international community to reduce the tension and seek peace in the region,” it said.

As such, Malaysia called on all quarters to control their actions and emphasise the importance of creating a conducive situation for a dialogue.

It also called North Korea to cease the launch of any missiles, to stop its nuclear and ballistic missile programme, as well as to comply fully with the relevant obligations under the Security Council resolutions for the sake of maintaining international peace and security.

- Reuters