President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) yesterday issued directives to maintain the livelihoods of Taiwanese and keep the stock and currency markets stable after North Korea fired a ballistic missile over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.
The missile was the second to fly over Japan in less than a month and the first since Pyongyang’s sixth nuclear test on Sept. 3.
The government strongly condemns Pyongyang for repeatedly using the threat of arms to disrupt regional security and stability, the Presidential Office said.
Photo: CNA
The National Security Council informed Tsai of the test immediately before calling a meeting at 8:30am to discuss response measures, it said.
The meeting was hosted by National Security Council Secretary-General Yen Teh-fa (嚴德發) and was attended by heads of the ministries of foreign affairs, national defense and mainland affairs, as well as the National Security Bureau.
After the meeting, the council delivered a report to Tsai, who ordered all government units to closely monitor the situation and maintain close contact with the countries concerned, as well as exchange updates with each other, the Presidential Office said.
She also said that efforts must be made to secure the stability of people’s livelihoods, as well as that of the stock and currency markets.
“All kinds of response measures must be able to be implemented as soon as they are required,” she said.
The government will spare no efforts to follow the UN Security Council’s Resolution 2375 passed on Monday to sanction North Korea and to join in efforts to maintain regional stability, Tsai added.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement expressing the government’s concern and condemnation, urging North Korea to follow the UN Security Council’s resolutions to “jointly maintain regional peace, stability and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula and in East Asia.”
The UN resolution includes capping North Korea’s oil imports, banning textile exports, ending additional overseas labor contracts, suppressing smuggling, stopping joint ventures with other nations and sanctioning certain North Korean government entities.
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