Canada decries missile test
Trudeau joins in with outrage over North Korea’s projectile that flew over Japan Tuesday
OTTAWA— North Korea’s latest missile test, which lobbed a projectile over Japan, is further evidence that the isolated regime is a regional and global danger, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says.
Trudeau added his voice Tuesday to the chorus of international outrage as he spoke out against what he called the “irresponsible actions” of North Korea.
“Obviously, we take North Korea’s actions very seriously. We condemn in the strongest possible terms the most recent ballistic and nuclear test,” Trudeau said.
In addition to its Tuesday missile test, there’s speculation that North Korea may be preparing for a nuclear test as well.
North Korea has been ramping up its missile testing and saber-rattling in recent months and even threatened to put Guam, a U.S. territory, in the crosshairs of a missile attack.
But Tuesday’s test was especially provocative; for the first time, it sent a projectile over Japan, prompting civil defence officials there to warn citizens to take cover.
The missile, fired from Pyongyang, plunged into the northern Pacific Ocean after overflying the Japanese island of Hokkaido.
U.S. President Donald Trump said that, with this test, North Korea has “signalled its contempt for its neighbours, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behaviour.”
It was a more subdued message from the U.S. president, who earlier warned that North Korea would be met with “fire and fury like the world has never seen.”
Still, Trump said again on Tuesday that, “all options are on the table,” as the U.S weighs its response.
Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said the test was a “reckless violation” of Japan’s sovereignty and a “direct threat” to Japanese citizens.
“North Korea’s repeated launches of ballistic missiles, in direct violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions, demonstrate a total disregard for its international obligations,” Freeland said in a statement.
Freeland said Canada backs inter- national efforts to press North Korea to end its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and resume talks to reach a political solution.
Trudeau tried to reassure Canadians that Ottawa was taking the potential threats seriously, especially as North Korea has tested missiles with the range to reach North America.
“Canada is constantly evaluating and assessing the security of our citizens and what we need to do to ensure that Canadians are protected,” Trudeau said, although he offered no details.
The Commons’ defence committee held a rare summer meeting last week to discuss Canada’s response to the threat posed by North Korea and agreed to hear briefings over the coming weeks on it.
This year, the commander of NORAD said the Canada-U.S. military agency was considering upgrades to its sensors and tactics to protect North America better against the increasingly capable missiles deployed by North Korea.
Gen. Lori Robinson, the U.S. commander who oversees the North American Aerospace Defence Command, said Kim Jong Un, the North Korean leader, is “unpredictable and volatile.”