According to AFP, China on Thursday rejected a US effort to slap UN sanctions on five North Koreans in reaction to Pyongyang's latest missile launches.

The Security Council's 15 members had until 2000 GMT to make a decision on the US request, which was presented last week. China's veto came ahead of a fresh closed-door council meeting on the DPRK, which Washington had also sought.

The US sanctions five North Koreans after missile launch

On January 12, a day after Pyongyang launched a hypersonic missile, the United States imposed sanctions on five North Koreans allegedly linked to the “country's ballistic missile program.”

The Treasury Department accused the five North Koreans of being "responsible for procuring goods for the DPRK's (North Korea's) weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile-related programs."

North Korea executes 4th short-range missile launch

According to South Korea's military, North Korea launched two suspected ballistic missiles into the sea on Monday, January 17, making it the fourth launch amid stalled dialogue with the US and COVID-related border restrictions.

A statement by the Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea said the missiles were launched four minutes apart, most likely launched from a region near Suhan, which is home to Pyongyang International Airport. The statement added that they traveled approximately 380 kilometers at a height of 42 kilometers and landed in the country's northeast waters.

North Korea had launched two tactical missiles from railway-based systems on January 14, according to the state-run KCNA news agency in defiance of the US imposed sanctions.

"A firing drill for checking and judging the proficiency in the action procedures of the railway-borne missile regiment of North Phyongan Province took place on Friday," KCNA reported.

Both missiles reportedly hit their targets in the Sea of Japan with pinpoint accuracy.