More missiles threat
NKorea defiant as UN condemns ‘outrageous’ launch
NORTH Korea leader Kim Jong-Un has promised more missile flights over Japan, insisting his nuclear-armed nation’s provocative launch was a mere “curtain-raiser”, in the face of UN condemnation and US warnings of severe repercussions.
The Hwasong-12 intermediate-range missile that Pyongyang unleashed on Tuesday represented a major escalation of tensions over its weapons programs.
In recent weeks it has threatened to send a salvo of missiles towards the US territory of Guam, while US President Donald Trump has warned of raining “fire and fury” on the North.
After the latest launch Mr Trump said that “all options” were on the table, reviving his implied threat of pre-emptive US military action just days after congratulating himself that Kim appeared to be “starting to respect us”.
The UN Security Council – which has already imposed seven sets of sanctions on Pyongyang – said in a statement the North’s “outrageous” actions “are not just a threat to the region, but to all UN member states”.
Both the North’s key ally China, and Russia, which also has ties to it, backed the USd rafted declaration, but it will not immediately lead to new or tightened sanctions.
The Rodong Sinmun newspaper, mouthpiece of North Korea’s ruling party, yesterday carried more than 20 pictures of the launch near Pyongyang.
One showed Kim smiling broadly at a desk with a map of the Northwest Pacific, surrounded by aides. Another showed him gazing upwards as the missile rose into the air.
South Korea’s military said Tuesday that the missile had travelled about 2700km and reached a maximum altitude of 550km.
The official Korean Central News Agency cited Kim as saying that “more ballistic rocket launching drills with the Pacific as a target in the future” were necessary.
Tuesday’s launch was a “meaningful prelude to containing Guam, advanced base of invasion”, he said, and a “curtain-raiser” for the North’s “resolute countermeasures” against ongoing US-South Korean military exercises which the North regards as a rehearsal for invasion.
Australia Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull yesterday held urgent talks with Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe.
The Australian Government joined global condemnation of the missile test and Mr Turnbull again urged China to step up.
“China has the greatest leverage over North Korea. It has a unique ability to bring the North Korean regime to its senses by applying economic pressure,” he said.