国际英语新闻：UNSC fails to reach consensus on Korean crisis

Churkin said it would be better if the ROK did not stage the live-fire military exercise at present time.

"So even though this day in the Security Council, these two days in fact, yesterday and today which we spent in discussion among Council members, and this closed meeting of the Security Council where the two parties, the two Korean sides also had a chance to speak," Churkin said.

Eeach of the ambassadors of the ROK and the DPRK was allowed to speak for two minutes at the closed-door Council meeting, diplomatic sources said.

"I think most importantly (the two Korean sides) had a chance to listen to the messages of the members of the Security Council -- I'd like to think that this meeting of the Council will have an impact on the situation," Churkin said.

Churkin said on Saturday the situation on the Korean Peninsula "directly affects the national security interests of the Russian Federation." Russia shares border with the DPRK.

"We are seriously concerned about possible further escalation of tension on the Korean Peninsula," Churkin said. "We believe that the Security Council must send a restraining signal" to the the DPRK and the ROK.

"The members of the Security Council called upon all parties concerned to exercise maximum restraint and to avoid any steps which could cause a further escalation of tension in the Korean Peninsula and the entire region," the draft statement said.

The drill is likely to be held between 11 a.m. (GMT0200) and noon (GMT0300), Seoul's Yonhap News Agency said, citing unidentified sources.

The DPRK, saying its recent shelling was for its self-defense, rapped Seoul's planned firing drill and warned of further "self-defensive blows."

Pyongyang has never recognized a disputed maritime border near Yeonpyeong, unilaterally drawn by the U.S.-led UN military forces at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. The two sides have had fatal naval skirmishes near the sea border.