North Korea fired two mid-range ballistic missiles, which appeared to be Rodong-class missiles, from the mobile launcher off its east coast into the sea toward Japan in March 2014, the report said.
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Still China remains anxious that a crackdown on North Korea may destabilize the Kim Jong Un regime and lead to millions of refugees fleeing across China’s border.
While the UN Security Council has previously passed sanctions against North Korea because of nuclear or missile tests, Fleitz said that China has stopped the UN from imposing new sanctions this time over the planned test.
The South Korean Ministry of National Defense yesterday said that the North was pushing ahead with the launch plans at its west coast Tongchang-ri launch site. Japan and South Korea – for their part – have raised their suspicion that the rocket launch is actually a long-range ballistic missile test, Business Standard reported. The success elevated concerns that North Korea was making progress in developing missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads as far away as the continental U.S.
State Department spokesman John Kirby said the United Nations needed to “send the North Koreans a swift, firm message”.
Beijing on Wednesday urged restraint over North Korea’s announcement of its launch plans, and expressed skepticism over the USA calls for tough new sanctions. The warnings came a day after the North announced a February 8-25 window for the launch, ostensibly aimed at putting an Earth observation satellite into orbit.
Moon Sang Gyun, a spokesman at Seoul’s Defense Ministry, said Thursday that South Korea would fire missiles to intercept any fragments of the North’s rocket if they threaten to fall on its territories.
China is North Korea’s sole main ally, though Beijing disapproves of its nuclear programme.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter also reportedly said during a trip to the Marine Corps air station in Miramar, California, that the country continues to shore up its defense against a possible North Korean missile attack. The most obvious is that only a month ago, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un claimed that the country had successfully denoted a hydrogen bomb for the first time.
In a briefing on Wednesday following North Korea’s announcement, Lu said that it “has the right to make peaceful use of the space, but this right is subject to restrictions of the Security Council resolutions”.
This week’s there are reports that Seoul will consider closing the Kaesong Industrial Complex if Pyongyang follows through with its planned rocket launch.
“The more immediate implication is whether or not as a effect of North Korea’s actions, the United States in collaboration with the ROK and prospectively with Japan, undertake strategic activities, security activities in Northeast Asia that impinge on China, even if they’re not meant to address China”, Pollack said.
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The U.S.is considering sanctions against the North. These measures would target companies and banks that operate in North Korea.
