UN diplomats call for more sanctions against North Korea

Scheduled after North Korea said it detonated a hydrogen bomb underground Sunday, the emergency session comes six days after the council strongly condemned Pyongyang's "outrageous" launch of a ballistic missile over Japan. Less than a month ago, the council imposed its stiffest sanctions so far on the reclusive nation.

Speaking one after the other, diplomats from France, Britain, Italy and elsewhere reiterated demands for the regime to halt its ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs and urged further sanctions.

"Pyongyang poses a clear threat to international peace and security," said Sebastiano Cardi, the UN ambassador from Italy, which heads the North Korea sanctions compliance committee. He noted that North Korea is the only country to have tested a nuclear device in the 21st century.