North Korea hit back on Sunday at a UN Security Council statement condemning its latest test-firing of a submarine-launched ballistic missile, and threatened to take further steps as "a full-fledged military power".

The 15-member council agreed on Friday to "take further significant measures" against North Korea, just days after the SLBM launch.

North Korea is barred under UN resolutions from any use of ballistic missile technology, but has carried out several launches following its fourth nuclear test in January.

A spokesman for the North's foreign ministry labelled the UN statement a "product of brigandish acts of the US" and said Washington had ignored a warning about "hurting its dignity."

"Now that the US posed threats to the dignity and the right to existence of the DPRK (North Korea) defying its serious warning, it will continue to take a series of eventful action steps as a full-fledged military power," the spokesman said.

"The DPRK has substantial means capable of reducing aggression troops in the US mainland and the operation theatre in the Pacific to ashes in a moment," the spokesman added in a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un on Thursday described the latest SLBM test as the "greatest success" and said it put the US mainland and the Pacific within striking range.

The missile was fired from a submarine off the northeastern port of Sinpo on Wednesday. It flew 500 kilometres (around 300 miles) towards Japan, far exceeding the range of the North's previous sub-launched missiles.

A proven SLBM system would take North Korea's nuclear strike threat to a new level, allowing deployment far beyond the Korean peninsula and a "second-strike" capability in the event of an attack on its military bases.

Analysts say that while Pyongyang has made faster progress in its SLBM system than originally expected, it is still years away from deployment.

UN council condemns N.Korea missile launches, vows new measures
United Nations, United States (AFP) Aug 27, 2016 - The UN Security Council on Friday strongly condemned North Korea for test-firing ballistic missiles and agreed to take "significant measures" in response the latest series of launches.

The 15-member council issued the toughly-worded condemnation in a unanimous statement drafted by the United States and backed by China, Pyongyang's main ally.

Council members agreed to "continue to closely monitor the situation and take further significant measures," said the statement, without elaborating.

North Korea has been hit by five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested a nuclear device in 2006.

In March, the council adopted the toughest sanctions resolution to date, targeting North Korea's trade in minerals and tightening banking restrictions.

The council met behind closed doors on Wednesday after North Korea launched a missile from a submarine towards Japan, the latest provocation from Pyongyang.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the missile breached his country's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) and condemned what he called an "unforgivable, reckless act" and a grave threat to Japan's security.

The council condemned that launch as well as another on August 2 that for the first time fell in Japanese controlled-waters and two other missile tests on July 9 and 18, saying these were all "in grave violation" of UN resolutions.

North Korea is barred under UN resolutions from any use of ballistic missile technology, but Pyongyang has carried out several launches following its fourth nuclear test in January.

The council statement was adopted after several rounds of negotiations with China, which has insisted over recent weeks on the need to avoid an escalation of tension on the Korean peninsula.

A previous bid by the council to condemn North Korea for firing a ballistic missile directly into Japanese-controlled waters on August 2 ran aground after China sought changes to the text.

The council was unable to agree after Beijing pressed for language in a statement opposing the THAAD missile defense system that the United States plans to deploy in South Korea.

In Friday's statement, the council expressed serious concern that North Korea carried out the latest series of missile launches despite repeated appeals to Pyongyang to reverse course.

North Korea leader Kim Jong-Un on Thursday boasted that the latest submarine-launched missile test was the "greatest success", putting the US mainland and the Pacific "within the striking range."

Council members again demanded that North Korea "refrain from further actions, including nuclear tests, in violation of the relevant Security Council resolutions".