UN chief urges DPRK to refrain from using 'ballistic missile technology'

UNITED NATIONS - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) should refrain from using "ballistic missile technology", according to Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for the secretary-general.

"The Secretary-General believes that it is important for the DPRK to refrain from using ballistic missile technology and to work for the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," said Haq at a news briefing held here Wednesday.

At Tuesday's daily briefing, Haq confirmed that three entities of the world body -- International Civil Aviation Organization, International Maritime Organization and International Telecommunications Union -- were all informed by the DPRK of its intentions to launch an earth-observation satellite between Feb 8-25.