South Korea has joined the U.S. and Japan in requesting an open session of the United Nations Security Council(UNSC) to discuss North Korea's ballistic missile launches.

A foreign ministry official told reporters on Tuesday that Seoul not only made the request but also plans to attend the meeting.

The UNSC is slated to convene the meeting on Wednesday, local time, to discuss North Korea's recent string of provocations.

Though South Korea is not a member of the UNSC, it reportedly joined the request as a party directly affected by the matter, a move permitted by UNSC Rule 37.

In a UNSC meeting held in March to address Pyongyang's intercontinental ballistic missile launch, South Korea also participated and expressed its views.

Its latest move to join the request is interpreted as a demonstration of a more proactive stance in responding to the North Korea issue. It also reflects how seriously Seoul considers the missile launches, with the North having conducted 15 tests this year alone.

There is also speculation that the regime is preparing to carry out a nuclear test as early as this month, with South Korean authorities saying it will occur as soon as the order is given by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Source: KBS World Radio