North Korea missile test: regime has ‘disrespected China’, says Trump | Sunday Observer

North Korea missile test: regime has ‘disrespected China’, says Trump

30 April, 2017
An undated file photo released on 24 April by North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows an ‘underwater test-fire of strategic submarine ballistic missile’ conducted at an undisclosed location. Photograph: KCNA/EPA
An undated file photo released on 24 April by North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows an ‘underwater test-fire of strategic submarine ballistic missile’ conducted at an undisclosed location. Photograph: KCNA/EPA

Donald Trump has condemned North Korea, saying it “disrespected the wishes of China”, after Pyongyang test-fired a ballistic missile.

The unsuccessful test comes as the United States pushed for tougher sanctions to curb the country’s nuclear threat. Writing on Twitter, the US president said Pyongyang had defied Chinese president Xi Jinping by going ahead with the launch.

South Korea’s military said the test of the missile took place near Bukchang in South Pyeongan Province early on Saturday morning.

A US government source told the Reuters news agency that initial indications suggested the test was unsuccessful. The US military’s Pacific Command said the missile did not leave North Korean territory.

“US Pacific Command detected what we assess was a North Korean missile launch at 10:33am Hawaii time ... The ballistic missile launch occurred near the Pukchang airfield,” PACOM spokesman Commander Dave Benham said in a statement.

“The missile did not leave North Korean territory.”

Japan joined in criticism of the test launch, saying it was absolutely unacceptable and a violation of UN resolution. A US official said the Trump administration could respond by speeding up its plans for new US sanctions against Pyongyang, including possible measures against specific North Korean and Chinese entities. “It’s possible that something could be sped up,” the official said of the potential for imposing new unilateral sanctions on North Korea. “Something that’s ready to go could be taken from the larger package and expedited.

The official said the missile launch was the kind of “provocation” that had been anticipated ahead of South Korea’s 9 May election, and that the president could use the test-firing to further press China to do more to rein in North Korea.

The launch comes with tensions high on the Korean peninsula, with this the latest in a series of missile launches by the North and warnings from Trump’s US administration that it was running out of patience.

At the UN Security Council on Friday, Washington pushed for tougher sanctions to confront the North Korean threat. Trump himself on Thursday warned of the prospect of a “major, major conflict” with North Korea.

The US secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, warned that failure to curb Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile abilities could lead to “catastrophic consequences”, while China and Russia cautioned Washington against threatening military force to solve the problem.

- theguardian 

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