North Korea rejects "brigandish" UN call to halt its missile launches

World powers have urged North Korea to return to disarmament talks after the UN Security Council unanimously condemned its missile tests, but the isolated communist state rejected the "brigandish" resolution and vowed to bolster its defences. "Our Republic will bolster its war deterrent for self-defence in every way by all means and methods now that the situation has reached the worst phase due to the extremely hostile act of the US," said the North's foreign ministry Sunday. It insisted the United States had forced the United Nations to adopt Saturday's resolution, which won the support of its only major ally China.