The United States’ top military commander will discuss North Korea’s latest satellite launch with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts this week as part of efforts to strengthen military ties between the three countries, USA defense officials said on Monday.
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“We’ve been able to determine that they were able to put a satellite or some space device into orbit”, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said. He did not give a date, but he did say “we’d like to see this move as quickly as possible”.
Sunday’s launch has drawn widespread condemnation from around the world as a cover for a ballistic missile test banned under U.N. Security Council resolutions.
Even before North Korea’s fourth nuclear test and the rocket launch, China publicly opposed the deployment of the THAAD battery to South Korea, arguing that it could also target China.
Although the discussion over sanctions against North Korea has begun since it conducted a nuclear test on January 6, the agreement has not yet been reached as the USA and China were at odds over how strong the sanctions should be.
North Korea launched a rocket (containing a satellite) into space.
Jatras: That is right and how much of that is a reasonable response to that, versus an indication of the kind of very isolated and paranoid regime that we have in Pyongyang is subject to judgment.
North Korea is barred under United Nations resolutions from pursuing ballistic missile technology.
The US and regional allies South Korea and Japan tracked the rocket – but stopped short of blasting it out of the sky as they had threatened to do.
Beijing was reluctant to support impositions on the North’s banking system for fear of worsening conditions in its impoverished neighbour, the diplomat said.
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“If the THAAD system were deployed to the Korean Peninsula, it would be focused exclusively on North Korea, contribute to a layered missile defense that would enhance the alliance’s existing missile defense capabilities against potential North Korean missile threats”, he said. “We call upon the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea or North Korea) to refrain from such actions, which adversely affect peace and stability in the region”, the Indian foreign ministry statement said.
