The United States and its allies on Wednesday pressed the UN Security Council to condemn North Korea after it test-fired a missile into Japanese-controlled waters for the first time, but they encountered resistance from China. Japan said the farthest-flying missile landed about 155 miles (250 kilometers) west of the Oga Peninsula inside its exclusive economic zone – an area of the sea where a country claims maritime rights to resources such as fish, oil and gas.
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On July 19, North Korea fired three ballistic missiles that flew between 500 km and 600 km (300-360 miles) into the sea off its east coast.
“It imposes a serious threat to Japan’s security and it is an unforgivable act of violence toward Japan’s security”, said Shinzo Abe, the prime minister.
The 15-member council met behind closed doors for emergency talks called by the United States, Japan and South Korea over the ballistic missile launch, the latest provocation from Pyongyang.
China’s ambassador to the United Nations has reiterated Beijing’s stance that anything that raises tensions on the Korean peninsula will not be allowed. The report was confirmed by Euan Graham, British diplomat stationed in Pyongyang, which is considered the first missile launch from North Korea to ever hit Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Kobe University’s global security expert Tosh Minohara said North Korea’s missile technology may have improved with each new test, but it is still “nowhere near the standards of advanced nations”.
Last month, South Korea’s defense ministry said the THAAD will be located in Seongju, in the southeastern part of the country. And the mid range test may impel China to seek its own anti-missile defense systems.
This was among the longest-range missile tests that North Korea has ever conducted.
North Korea successfully test-fired a mid-range ballistic missile into open water Wednesday, according to South Korea’s military – and it appears that a second projectile exploded upon being launched.
That came just days after Washington and Seoul announced an agreement to deploy the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, system in South Korea by the end of next year-a move condemned by Pyongyang and also vehemently opposed by China and Russian Federation. A South Korean official, in the aftermath of Wednesday’s tests, said that Pyongyang is attempting to showcase its capability to “directly and broadly attack neighboring countries”.
North Korea called the system a provocation that it says is only aimed at bolstering USA military hegemony in the region.
Missile tests have become more frequent under Kim’s reign.
North Korea is prohibited from carrying out such missile launches under a March U.N. Security Council resolution.
Up to this point, North Korea had informed the International Civil Aviation Organization and International Maritime Organization before launching its long-range ballistic missiles, which it said were “satellites”.
China, North Korea’s sole ally, and Russian Federation did not back the request.
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Last week, North Korea’s top diplomat for US affairs told The Associated Press that the U.S.
