(Photo by CGTN)

The UN Security Council is scheduled to hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) launched a ballistic missile, a diplomat said.

The meeting, at the request of the US, Japan, and South Korea, will be held at 3 p.m. on Wednesday (1900 GMT), said the diplomat, on condition of anonymity.

(file photo)

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday condemned the latest launch of a ballistic missile of intercontinental range conducted by the DPRK earlier in the day, warning that it "constitutes a dangerous escalation of the situation."

The UN chief called on the DPRK leadership to take no further provocative actions and comply fully with its international obligations.

The DPRK declared on Tuesday that it had successfully launched an intercontinental ballistic missile. According to the country’s Academy of Defense Science, the missile reached an altitude of 2,802 kilometers and flew 933 kilometers.

South Korea believes the DPRK is now very likely to conduct a new nuclear test following this latest launch, said South Korea’s defense minister on Wednesday.

(With inputs from Xinhua)