North Korea fired a ballistic missile into nearby seas yesterday, drawing a joint rebuke from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US President Donald Trump.
Abe, speaking at a news conference with Trump in Florida, said the missile test “can absolutely not be tolerated” and called on North Korea to fully comply with UN Security Council resolutions. The launch was the first provocation by North Korea since Trump took office.
“The United States of America stands behind Japan, its great ally, 100 percent,” Trump said in brief remarks.
Photo: EPA
Neither Abe nor Trump took questions.
North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un’s regime has accelerated North Korea’s efforts to develop nuclear weapons and missiles that can strike the US and its allies in Asia. In response, the US plans to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system in South Korea, a move opposed by China, North Korea’s primary ally.
The missile test came amid signs that Trump — having previously chided Japan for what he said was an insufficient contribution to the cost of housing US troops there — is seeking to reset his relationship with Abe.
While Pyongyang might not have timed the launch specifically to send a signal to the new US administration, it allowed Abe and Trump to present a collective response.
Even as he continues to criticize Japan for its trade and currency policies, Trump promised during his meeting with Abe in Washington last week that the countries’ military alliance covers East China Sea islands that are disputed with China. That suggests a greater recognition that the US needs Japan’s assistance in North Asia for two things: To act as a buffer against China and to help pressure Kim over his nuclear ambitions.
The South Korean military said the missile was launched at 7:55am local time from North Korea’s northwest, the same region where the regime fired a mid-range Musudan missile in October last year. It flew 500km into its East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff said in a text message.
Trump last month vowed to prevent the country from developing the capability to strike the US with a missile.
The US Strategic Command said in a statement that Pyongyang launched a medium or intermediate-range ballistic missile, which posed no threat to North America.
South Korean National Security Office Chief Kim Kwan-jin called US counterpart Michael Flynn after the launch, the Blue House said in a statement.
They agreed to cooperate on ways to deter North Korea, it said.
The range of the missile fired yesterday, if confirmed, is greater than an intermediate-range Musudan missile that North Korea fired last year, according to Cheong Seong-chang, a senior fellow at the Sejong Institute.
“The North’s improvement in missile capability shown today will be met by the Trump administration’s strong opposition and will likely accelerate the THAAD deployment in South Korea,” Cheong said. “That would, of course, trigger a backlash by China, which will likely retaliate against South Korea further.”
North Korea fired at least 25 projectiles last year, according to the UN, which bans it from pursuing ballistic missile technology because it could be used to deliver nuclear warheads. Pyongyang also detonated two nuclear devices last year.
Kim said on Jan. 1 that his country was in the “last stage” of preparations to test-fire an intercontinental ballistic missile, leading Trump to write on Twitter: “It won’t happen!”
Trump did not give specifics of how he would stop Kim’s missile development.
The UN Security Council unanimously passed a fresh resolution in November last year that tightened sanctions on North Korea, including cutting the country’s coal exports, after the regime conducted its fifth nuclear test in September.
Australia, which cosponsored the resolution, is to consider further sanctions, it said in a statement yesterday.
Japanese Minister of Defense Tomomi Inada told reporters yesterday in comments carried by NHK that the ministry would continue to gather information about the latest test.
Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Fumio Kishida said Japan would look to bolster cooperation on information sharing with the US and South Korea, Kyodo news agency reported.
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