The UN Security Council has failed to adopt a resolution on North Korea’s latest intercontinental ballistic missile(ICBM) launch during an open session on the matter.

In the UNSC meeting held on Monday, local time, South Korea, the U.S., Japan and western countries strongly condemned the North's recent missile provocations, calling for an official response by the Security Council.

China and Russia, however, again defended North Korea, blaming South Korea-U.S. military drills for the North's missile launches, resulting in a deadlock.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said in the session that Chinese and Russian “obstructionism” was encouraging North Korea “to launch ballistic missiles with impunity” and advance its development of more sophisticated and dangerous weapons.

Condemning the North's continued ballistic missile launches in the strongest terms, South Korean Ambassador to the UN Hwang Joon-kook also urged the Security Council to hold North Korea accountable for its continued violations of international obligations.