N. Korea says S. Korea should not ignore its missile launch warning
- 5 years ago
Norrth Korea's state media has released a report about the regime's firing of two short-range missiles into the East Sea.
It said the launch was conducted to warn South Korea against an upcoming joint military exercise with the U.S., adding Kim Jong-un oversaw the test.
For more on this, we have our Unification Ministry correspondent Oh Jung-hee on the line.
Jung-hee
Yes Mark, we have to note the fact that Pyeongyang's state-run media clearly stated and emphasized that yesterday's missile launch was an intended show of force.
It's really the first time we've seen an expression like that in a North Korean report since things began to thaw on the Korean Peninsula last year.
The North's Korean Central News Agency says North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was satisfied to have confirmed the power of the tactical guided weapon, saying they're not easy to defend against.
The agency says the missile launch was to send a direct warning to the South Korean military for planning to go ahead with the joint military exercise with the U.S. despite continued messages from the North.
Pyeongyang seems confident that the missile launch would have (quote)"inflicted insecurity for some" which could include the United States as well.
But the North mainly took aim at South Korea for showing a contradictory attitude of forming a conciliatory mood between North Korea and the U.S., but at the same time organizing hostile military exercises and adopting powerful weapons.
The North says that South Korea should not ignore the warnings from Pyeongyang.
So after the North fired these missiles, South Korea held a National Security Council meeting yesterday.
What's Seoul's assessment on the projectiles?
Seoul defined them as (quote)"a new type of short-range ballistic missile."
And that's a big difference from the previous missile launch we saw in May, when South Korea downplayed what the North fired, describing them as just "short-range missiles."
Though the assessment will be finalized after further analysis by Seoul and Washington, if the missiles are confirmed to be of the ballistic variety,... the launches would be regarded as a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions... and the North could face additional international sanctions.
It would also be considered a breach of the military agreement signed by the two Koreas last year.
Seoul's National Security Council also expressed concerns regarding the regime's unexpected action, which makes reducing military tensions on the Korean Peninsula more complicated.
Mark.
It said the launch was conducted to warn South Korea against an upcoming joint military exercise with the U.S., adding Kim Jong-un oversaw the test.
For more on this, we have our Unification Ministry correspondent Oh Jung-hee on the line.
Jung-hee
Yes Mark, we have to note the fact that Pyeongyang's state-run media clearly stated and emphasized that yesterday's missile launch was an intended show of force.
It's really the first time we've seen an expression like that in a North Korean report since things began to thaw on the Korean Peninsula last year.
The North's Korean Central News Agency says North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was satisfied to have confirmed the power of the tactical guided weapon, saying they're not easy to defend against.
The agency says the missile launch was to send a direct warning to the South Korean military for planning to go ahead with the joint military exercise with the U.S. despite continued messages from the North.
Pyeongyang seems confident that the missile launch would have (quote)"inflicted insecurity for some" which could include the United States as well.
But the North mainly took aim at South Korea for showing a contradictory attitude of forming a conciliatory mood between North Korea and the U.S., but at the same time organizing hostile military exercises and adopting powerful weapons.
The North says that South Korea should not ignore the warnings from Pyeongyang.
So after the North fired these missiles, South Korea held a National Security Council meeting yesterday.
What's Seoul's assessment on the projectiles?
Seoul defined them as (quote)"a new type of short-range ballistic missile."
And that's a big difference from the previous missile launch we saw in May, when South Korea downplayed what the North fired, describing them as just "short-range missiles."
Though the assessment will be finalized after further analysis by Seoul and Washington, if the missiles are confirmed to be of the ballistic variety,... the launches would be regarded as a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions... and the North could face additional international sanctions.
It would also be considered a breach of the military agreement signed by the two Koreas last year.
Seoul's National Security Council also expressed concerns regarding the regime's unexpected action, which makes reducing military tensions on the Korean Peninsula more complicated.
Mark.