S. Korean, U.S. top diplomats condemn Wednesday's missile launches during phone talks
北 미사일 도발…한미 외교장관 및 한미·한일 북핵수석대표 통화 The top diplomats of South Korea and the U.S. have strongly condemned North Korea's latest missile launches. During their phone talks on Wednesday, they said the tests were a "serious provocation"... and agreed to push for a new UN Security Council resolution to impose more sanctions on the regime. Min Suk-hyen reports. South Korean Foreign Minister, Park Jin, and his U.S. counterpart, Antony Blinken, have strongly condemned North Korea's latest missile launches. Speaking on the phone on Wednesday, the top diplomats called North's move "a grave provocation" that threatens peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the international community. They warned such military activities would only further isolate the regime... and prompt Seoul and Washington to strengthen their joint defense posture. Park and Blinken agreed to push forward with a new UN Security Council resolution... to impose additional sanctions on Pyeongyang. During a press briefing, Foreign Minister Park Jin called on Pyeongyang to immediately cease its destabilizing actions... and to return to dialogue. He also vowed to take practical measures to respond to the North's military aggressions. "The Foreign Ministry will maintain close coordination with relevant countries... and lead the international community's strong and decisive response to the latest ICBM launch. Above all, under close cooperation, it's important to maintain a strong South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture and draw up a joint response plan." The international community was also quick to criticize North Korea's missile tests. Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi called the acts "absolutely impermissible"... and criticized the North for pressing ahead with its nuclear and missile programs... while its people suffer from the COVID-19 outbreak. "North Korea continues to put its effort into nuclear and missile development while ignoring the people's suffering amid the spread of the coronavirus. It violates the UN Security Council resolution, and we strongly condemn it. We have protested to North Korea through diplomatic routes." Japan said it will continue to work closely with the U.S. and South Korea towards a complete denuclearization of North Korea. Min Suk-hyen, Arirang News. #NorthKorea #ballistic_missile #provocation 📣 Arirang News(Facebook) : / arirangtvnews 📣 Arirang News(Twitter) : / arirangtvnews 📣 News Center(YouTube) : / newscenter_arirangtv 2022-05-25, 17:00 (KST)
