UN Security Council may debate N Korea's rocket launch

The debates at the UN Security Council over a response to North Korea's rocket launch in December may start, a South Korean official said. The news came on the same day North Korea's leader Kim Jong-Un surprised the world when he called in a rare new year speech for strengthening ties between the country and its neighbour, South Korea.

A South Korean government official was quoted on January 2 by the country's Yonhap news agency saying on condition of anonymity that Security Council debates on the launch should start in January.

"Security Council negotiations are likely to start early next week, although no date for the talks has been set," the official said.

North Korea conducted a fresh round of missile tests in December when it launched a satellite into orbit with a rocket that is believed to be able to reach the US.

An April launch attempt failed and was followed by North Korean pledges to ban military and nuclear tests.

Early January, South Korea took its seat alongside Australia for a two-year mandate at the UN Security Council, which increases Seoul's leverage in North Korean debates.