An official for North Korea's Foreign Ministry called talks at the United Nations Security Council, which ultimately lead to a sternly worded statement, a "terrible provocation."

Jon Min Dok said that discussion at the global body had got it all wrong. His nation was only trying to develop long-range nuclear weapons because of America's "outrageous nuclear intimidation," he told the AP Saturday.

The 15-member body unanimously approved a statement Friday which condemned the isolated communist nation for missile launches from a submarine this week and related launches recently.

The Security Council said that North Korea had done so "in flagrant disregard" of warnings to halt such launches and urged all U.N. member states to do the sanctions equivalent of throwing everything and the kitchen sink at the country.

The hope is that the country will back down and halt the march to war with South Korea and its allies around the world, most prominently the United States.