16 April 2016•Update: 22 April 2016
By Alex Jensen
SEOUL
South Korea singled out China for praise Saturday following the United Nations Security Council's "stern and swift" statement of condemnation in response to North Korea's attempted ballistic missile launch a day earlier.
The North appeared to botch an inaugural test of its medium-range Musadan missile early Friday based on the assessment of Seoul's military chiefs -- the projectile first paraded in Pyongyang more than five years ago is believed to be able to strike as far as the United States' territory of Guam.
But North Korea is barred by the UN from testing ballistic missiles, and the global body already strengthened sanctions against the reclusive state following its fourth ever nuclear test in January and subsequent rocket launch.
"Our government cooperated closely with the U.S. and our allies for the adoption of the statement, and we assess that China, as president of the Security Council in April, played the necessary role," a South Korean foreign ministry official was quoted as saying by local news agency Yonhap.
The UN statement labeled Friday's attempted missile launch as a failure but still "a clear violation" of several resolutions, while also threatening Pyongyang with further punishment.
China has long been seen as North Korea's most important ally considering their trade ties and history of being on the same side during the 1950-53 Korean War.
In recent years, however, Beijing has grown publicly frustrated with the destabilizing impact of the North's nuclear weapon ambitions -- though analysts claim ongoing Chinese economic support is vital to Pyongyang.
North Korea has ignored UN restrictions by successfully launching a series of other projectiles this year, from short-range missiles to February's rocket that blasted a satellite into orbit.
Leader Kim Jong-un also personally celebrated his country's nuclear warhead and hydrogen bomb development, with Pyongyang repeatedly directing aggressive threats towards the U.S. and South Korea.
