South Korea urges North Korea to halt missile test

South Korea urges North Korea to halt missile test

Ban Ki-moon's comments come amid reports of an impending test launch of a long-range ballistic missile by North Korea.

North Korea's missile test would heighten security threats in Northeast Asia, which is already struggling to deal with its nuclear ambitions.

Efforts by China,Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States to convince the North to give up its nuclear program are deadlocked and the negotiations haven't convened since November. No progress has been made on implementing a September agreement in which Pyongyang pledged to give up its nuclear program in exchange for aid and security guarantees, according to the AP.