North Korea dares world with another missile test
FAILED LAUNCH COMES SHORTLY AFTER US WARNING AT UN COUNCIL
North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile yesterday shortly after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned that failure to curb Pyongyang’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes could lead to “catastrophic consequences”.
US and South Korean officials said the test, from an area north of the North Korean capital, appeared to have failed, in what would be the North’s fourth straight unsuccessful missile test since March. The test came as the USS Carl
Vinson aircraft carrier group arrived in waters near the Korean peninsula, where it began exercises with the South Korean navy yesterday, about 12 hours after the failed launch, a South Korean navy official said.
Tillerson, in a UN Security Council meeting on North Korea on Friday said: “The threat of a nuclear attack on Seoul, or Tokyo, is real, and it’s only a matter of time before North Korea develops the capability to strike the US mainland. Failing to act now on the most pressing security issue in the world may bring catastrophic consequences.”
US President Donald Trump said the launch was an affront
to China, the North’s sole main ally. “North Korea disrespected the wishes of China & its highly respected President when it launched, though unsuccessfully, a missile today. Bad!,”
Trump said in a post on Twitter. France condemned the missile test and called for a “firm” and “determined” reaction towards Pyongyang.
SEOUL orth Korea test-fired a ballistic missile yesterday, the South Korean and US militaries said, defying warnings from the United States and the reclusive state’s main ally, China, which have tried for years to rein in its arms programmes.
The test, from an area north of the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, appeared to have failed, US and South Korean officials said, in what would be North Korea’s fourth successive unsuccessful missile test since March.
The test came as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned the UN Security Council that failure to curb North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes could lead to “catastrophic consequences”.
US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the missile was probably a medium-range weapon known as a KN-17 and appears to have broken up within minutes of taking off.
South Korea said the North was playing with fire and warned it of tougher UN sanctions.
Reaches 71km altitude
The South Korean military said the missile, fired from the Pukchang region in a northeasterly direction, reached an altitude of 71 km before disintegrating a few minutes into flight. It said the launch was a clear violation of UN resolutions and warned the North not to act rashly.
The North has been conducting missile and nuclear weapons related activities at an unprecedented rate since the beginning of the year and is believed to have made some progress in developing intermediate-range and submarinelaunched missiles.
US President Donald Trump, who told Reuters in an interview on Thursday North Korea was his biggest global challenge, said the launch was an affront to China.
“North Korea disrespected the wishes of China and its highly respected President when it launched, though unsuccessfully, a missile today. N
North Korea disrespected the wishes of China and its highly respected President when it launched, though unsuccessfully, a missile today. Bad!”
Bad!,” Trump said in a post on Twitter after the launch.
The United States has been hoping North Korea’s sole major ally, China, can bring pressure to bear. But China says the United States must not over-estimate the influence it has over its neighbour.
Just before the missile test, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the UN Security Council on meeting on North Korea it was not only up to China to solve the North Korean problem. “The key to solving the nuclear issue does not lie in the hands of the Chinese side,” Wang said.
Both China and Russia rebuked a US threat of military force. There was no immediate reaction to the launch from China. Japan condemned it as unacceptable.
Trump, in his interview with Reuters, said he had praised Chinese leader Xi Jinping for “trying very hard” on North Korea, though Trump warned a “major, major conflict” between the United States and North Korea was possible. - Reuters
Donald Trump | US President