The top nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan talked on the phone for a second day on Sunday over the latest missile launch by North Korea.

According to Seoul’s foreign ministry, Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Kim Gunn spoke with his U.S. and Japanese counterparts Sung Kim and Takehiro Funakoshi after the North’s launch of a short-range ballistic missile early Sunday morning.

The three sides strongly condemned the North’s latest provocation, saying that they deplore that North Korea opened the new year with an illegal act that violates multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The envoys also said that it is “unreasonable and a challenge to the international community” that the North announced it would spur efforts to strengthen its self-defensive capabilities in response to moves to isolate the country.

The nuclear envoys then warned that continued provocations by the North will be met with deeper isolation, stronger security cooperation among the three nations and a unified and stern response by the international community.

The top envoys added, however, that the three nations are keeping the door open for dialogue with Pyongyang.

The envoys held virtual talks on Saturday as well following the North’s firing of three short-range ballistic missiles.

Source: KBS World Radio