South Korea on Friday praised global leaders' condemnation of North Korea for its continued pursuit of nuclear weapons, urging Pyongyang to listen to the growing call for denuclearization.

Earlier, the leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized countries condemned North Korea's nuclear test in January and its subsequent launches using ballistic technology "in the strongest terms."

The G7 leaders held a summit in Japan on Friday. The G7 consists of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.

"We praise that the G7 leaders condemned the North's nuclear and missile tests in the strongest terms in a united voice," a foreign ministry official said on the condition of anonymity.

He also praised that they sent a strong message to the North by calling for an end to additional provocations and compliance of U.N. resolutions and its commitments under the 2005 Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks.

"Our government urges the North to turn their ears to the message and show its will for denuclearization through action," the official said. "To that end, we will work closely with the international community." (Yonhap)