EU blasts N. Korea for threat to peace

BRUSSELS (AFP) — The European Union lashed North Korea for posing “a serious threat to international peace and security” after Pyongyang on Friday carried out another missile launch.

The launch “is in outright violation of (North Korea’s) international obligations as set out in several U.N. Security Council resolutions,” the EU’s foreign service said in a statement.

It urged Pyongyang “to refrain from any further provocative action that could increase regional and global tensions.”

EU foreign ministers, at a meeting in July, had condemned North Korea’s missile launches in similar terms.

EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini will take up the issue in the coming days with the foreign ministers of South Korea “and other international partners,” the statement said.

Mogherini is to attend a ministerial meeting of ASEAN Regional Forum in Manila on Aug. 6 and 7.

Friday’s late-night launch entailed the firing of what appeared to be another intercontinental ballistic missile, according to the Pentagon.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said the missile may have landed within Japan’s maritime exclusive economic zone.

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said he held telephone talks with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and agreed on the need to put “the heaviest possible pressure” on North Korea.

“We confirmed that we will closely cooperate in adopting a fresh UNSC (U.N. Security Council) resolution, including severe measures, and working on China and Russia,” Kishida told reporters.

A missile fired by North Korea Friday appeared to be a “medium-range” weapon, the Russian military said, as the U.S. asserted Pyongyang had launched a second ICBM.