People watch a TV news program about the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) ballistic missile launch, at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Aug. 24, 2016. The DPRK on Wednesday test-fired a ballistic missile from a submarine off its east coast into the sea at a time of heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula following the start of annual South Korea-U.S. war games, Seoul's military said. (Xinhua/File Photo)

UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations on Wednesday urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to "take steps necessary to de-escalate the situation and return to dialogue on denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula.

"The latest launch of a submarine-launched ballistic missile by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in defiance of the united call of the international community to reverse its course is deeply troubling," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here.

"Not only are such actions a clear violation of relevant (UN) Security Council resolutions, but they also undermine peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula," Dujarric said in response to a press question. "We, again, urge the DPRK to take steps necessary to de-escalate the situation and return to dialogue on denuclearization."

A South Korean defense ministry official told Xinhua that the DPRK test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) at about 5:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday (2030 GMT Tuesday) off the eastern coastal town of Sinpo in South Hamgyeong province into the East Sea.

The launch came after South Korea and the United States began their annual military drills on Monday.

The Security Council has adopted five resolutions -- resolutions 1718 (2006), 1874 (2009), 2087 (2013), 2094 (2013) and 2270 (2016) -- to curb the DPRK's nuclear and missile programs.

The latest one adopted in March imposes the most severe sanctions yet on the country, including an export ban and asset freeze.