South Korea's new President Moon Jae-in responded to the launch of a ballistic missile by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) by calling for an emergency National Security Council meeting on Monday.

Pyongyang's move was seen as another rebuff to Moon’s attempts to initiate dialogue at a time tensions are soaring on the Peninsula.

Roh Jae-cheon, spokesperson for South Korea's Defense Ministry. /CGTN Screenshot

"This launch of an unidentified ballistic missile suggests that the North wants to pursue its plans to develop its nuclear and missile capacity despite sanctions from the international community, and it's aiming to pressure South Korea to change its policy on the North,” said Roh Jae-cheon, spokesperson for South Korea's Defense Ministry.

Monday's test marked the third launch since Moon took office. He had pledged to try ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula through talks, arguing that sanctions alone had failed.

South Korea's new president Moon Jae-in hopes to alleviate the tensions on the Korean Peninsula through dialogues. /VCG Photo

But some analysts remain skeptical about South Korea's new "Sunshine Policy". As Cho Han-bum, director of the country’s Council of Unification Policy put it, "They want to keep their system and political regime so they don't want to give up their nuclear program. South Korean aid to the North won't change that.”

This is the latest of a string of missile and nuclear tests, which have become more frequent since the beginning of the year, carried out by Pyongyang in defiance of UN sanctions warnings and condemnation from China and the rest of international community.