UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday voiced concern over the latest missile launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and asked Pyongyang and Washington to sustain talks toward denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The DPRK fired an unidentified ballistic missile off its east coast Wednesday morning local time, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"The launch is very concerning. The launch of a ballistic missile is yet another violation of Security Council resolutions," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for Guterres.

"Ahead of what we've learned of the resumption of working-level talks between the DPRK and the United States later this week, the secretary-general hopes that both parties work to sustain these talks and to make progress on the implementation of the June 12, 2018, U.S.-DPRK joint declaration toward denuclearization, and sustainable peace on the peninsula," Dujarric told a regular press briefing.

The missile, which flew about 450 km at a maximum flying altitude of around 910 km, was estimated to have been a Pukkuksong-type submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), said the South Korean military.

If confirmed, Wednesday's launch would be the DPRK's first SLBM test-launch in over three years. Enditem

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