DPRK’s missile launch arouses international concern

BEIJING, Aug. 30– The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

(DPRK)’s missile test-firing early Tuesday has drawn grave concern from the
international community.

The UN Security Council on Tuesday strongly condemned the DPRK’s latest
missile launch, demanding it immediately ceases such actions. In a
statement, the council stressed that those DPRK actions are not just a
threat to the region, but to all UN member states. The council demanded the
DPRK not proceed with any further launches using ballistic missile
technology and comply with relevant Security Council resolutions, said the
statement. U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Tuesday
condemned the DPRK’s missile launch and threatened that “something serious
has to happen.” “What happened yesterday was absolutely unacceptable and
irresponsible,” she said. “No country should have missiles flying over
them,” referring to the fact that the DPRK ballistic missile flew over
Japan.

Haley stopped short of talking about military action against the DPRK, but
she said: “Enough is enough.” Jonathan Allen, Britain’s deputy permanent
representative to the United Nations, also condemned DPRK’s missile launch.
“We condemn it completely and we call on North Korea (DPRK) to heed the
unanimous position of the international community,” he told reporters at UN
headquarters in New York. In Abu Dhabi during his visit to the United Arab
Emirates on Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov insisted that
Pyongyang should fully abide by the UN Security Council resolutions. He
promised adherence to the principle in the next meeting at the UN, in which
the DPRK’s recent missile launch would be discussed. The Slovak Foreign
Ministry strongly condemned the DPRK’s missile test on Tuesday. “The
Slovak Republic condemns North Korea’s activities, which have the potential
to violate regional stability and international peace,” the statement said.

The ministry called on Pyongyang to take measures aimed at building trust
and a constructive dialogue with the international community. U.S.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned that the launch is “threatening
and destabilizing,” adding “all options are on the table.” China on
Tuesday called on all parties involved in the Korean Peninsula nuclear
issue to refrain from provoking each other and raising tension. “I suggest
all parties calmly and meticulously study the relevant resolutions by the
UN Security Council,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying at a
daily press briefing, explaining that the resolutions consist of at least
two parts: to curb the nuclear and missile development by the DPRK, and to
resume the Six-Party Talks. The DPRK confirmed Wednesday it test-fired a
medium-range ballistic missile Tuesday to counter the ongoing U.S.-South
Korea joint military drills. “The fired ballistic rocket crossed the sky
above Oshima peninsula of Hokkaido and Cape Erimo of Japan along the preset
flight track and accurately hit the preset target waters in northern
Pacific,” said the DPRK’s official news agency KCNA, adding it had no
security impact on neighboring countries. – XINHUA