SEOUL-- South Korea on Friday underscored its commitment to further developing the partnership with the United Nations to promote world peace and prosperity, as it marked the 30th anniversary of its accession to the international organization.

The commitment came amid the South's dogged pursuit of lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, which has been eclipsed by North Korea's recent military activities, including ballistic and cruise missile launches.

"By continuously developing the successful partnership that we have cultivated together with the U.N. for world peace, freedom and prosperity, our government plans to continue efforts to ensure peace and prosperity can take hold in everyday life of all across the globe," the foreign ministry said in a press release.

South and North Korea concurrently joined the U.N. on Sept. 17, 1991.

Seoul's entry into the organization was a culmination of decadeslong diplomatic efforts, including a policy initiative under the former Roh Tae-woo administration from 1988-93 to build ties with then communist bloc nations, such as the Soviet Union.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres tweeted a message to mark the 30th anniversary of the admission of the two Koreas.

"I wish lasting peace and prosperity to all the people across the Korean Peninsula," he wrote.

The message for peace came after the North fired off two short-range ballistic missiles from a train-based launching platform Wednesday, just hours before the South conducted a submarine-launched ballistic missile test.

Pyongyang also test-fired a new type of long-range cruise missile last weekend amid concerns of emergent signs of the country reactivating a plutonium-producing nuclear reactor at its main Yongbyon complex.

Source: Yonhap News Agency