The National Assembly on Wednesday endorsed a resolution that condemns North Korea’s recent long-range missile launch, urging the reclusive regime to halt its escalating military provocations against South Korea and its neighboring states.

In a rare plenary session held during the Lunar New Year holiday, a total of 243 lawmakers voted in favor of the resolution that demands that the government imposes robust sanctions on the North for violating the United Nations’ resolution to ban Pyongyang from developing nuclear programs.

“North Korea’s decision to test long-range missile is a flagrant violation of the U.N. Security Council Resolution and a reckless provocation that poses a threat to the peace and security of the international community,” the parliamentary statement said. 

It also called for efforts to renew inter-Korean talks that have been stalled in the wake of the North’s fourth nuclear test on Jan. 6. Out of 293 lawmakers, 248 attended the session to cast their ballots. Five lawmakers abstained.

The text of the resolution was endorsed by the assembly’s foreign affairs and unification committee on Monday, a day after the North said that it had put a satellite into space from a rocket launched on Earth. South Korea and the United States viewed the launch as Pyongyang’s attempt to test its ballistic missile capability.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the ruling Saenuri Party and opposition The Minjoo Party of Korea met on Wednesday to hammer out an agreement over a new electoral map and pending contentious bills related to labor reform, business regulation, counter-terrorism measures and North Korea’s human rights promotion.

With some two months left before the April general elections, rival parties remain deadlocked over the redrawing of constituencies. Several preliminary candidates, particularly in rural areas, are expected to have their electoral district adjusted accordingly.

By Yeo Jun-suk (jasonyeo@heraldcorp.com)