Officials from the United States, Japan and South Korea on Saturday condemned North Korea’s latest ballistic missile launch and called for increased cooperation with China in the face of possible action by the international community.
South Korea’s special envoy for security issues on the Korean peninsula, Kim Gunn, and his U.S. and Japanese counterparts, Sung Kim and Takehiro Funakoshi, respectively, have held a series of talks on the matter.
The three representatives have warned North Korea that such military activities are only a «provocation» and «will have no effect». They have also warned of a possible response from the international community to what they consider to be a clear «violation» of UN Security Council resolutions.
The parties have agreed to increase their cooperation in security matters to confront the North Korean threat and stop «new provocations», according to the Yonhap news agency. In this regard, they have pledged to increase contacts with China, considering that it plays a «crucial role» in «containing North Korean military actions».
The South Korean Foreign Ministry said that the launch took place from Chunghwa County, south of Pyongyang, and confirmed that the three short-range missiles flew over 350 kilometers before falling into the waters of the Sea of Japan.
North Korea has launched a record 70 ballistic missiles in 2022. Earlier this week, several North Korean drones were intercepted in South Korean airspace, leading to increased tensions.
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement that while the move «does not pose a direct threat to the country and its allies,» it highlights «the destabilizing impact» of North Korea’s ballistic program.
The launch has come as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is chairing a Workers’ Party meeting to oversee economic and political issues for the coming year. However, he has so far shown no interest in abandoning his ballistic and nuclear program.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
