On Wednesday, North Korea fired a ballistic missile into waters near Japan, a day after Ms Park said her government remained firm in its plan to deploy the Thaad system.
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“It imposes a serious threat to Japan’s security and it is an unforgivable act of violence towards our security”, he said.
But it failed to adopt a press statement back in July, … with China reportedly raising opposition to the draft statement in protest against the South Korea-U.S. decision to deploy the THAAD missile defense system to the Korean peninsula.
The council met in emergency session after North Korea fired two intermediate-range missiles simultaneously, however one appeared to explode on takeoff.
The United Nations Security Council will meet on Wednesday (Aug 3) over the latest North Korea missile launch after the United States and Japan requested the meeting, diplomats said.
Dr Masashi Nishihara, president of Japan’s Research Institute for Peace and Security, told The Straits Times that the height and range of the latest missile prove that North Korea could be a viable threat.
“It is the US who threatens DPRK with missiles”.
South Korea’s defense ministry, in conjunction with the United States, plans to have the unique air-defense system operational by the end of 2017. According to The New York Times, this was the closest a North Korean missile had come to Japan since 1998, when Pyongyang fired one over it.
A US State Department spokesman condemned the launch, saying it will “only increase the global community’s resolve to counter” North Korea’s actions.
Additionally, Pyongyang reacted sharply to the United States’ decision to list Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, under new sanctions.
North Korea is said to be seeking to develop a warhead small enough to be placed on a ballistic missile.
The statement was issued by the Pentagon after a videoconference meeting of the defense officials from the three countries. But North Korea called them satellite launches while Washington, Seoul and Tokyo said they were disguised tests of missile technology.
It flew 620 miles – among the longest the hermit kingdom has managed – and is one of several tested in recent months.
But the importance of South Korea to China, and other major powers, goes beyond business.
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Last month, South Korea had announced the Thaad system will be deployed in the county, triggering protests from residents who are anxious about the possible negative impact of Thaad’s powerful radar system.
