“Now the United States is talking more and more about new missile defence areas and about the need for a global missile defence system”, Kim said.
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“A rogue regime headed by a leader with no respect for human dignity, North Korea’s forgotten maniac, Kim Jong-Un, has been met with indifference instead of resolve”, said Gardner.
North Korea conducted a firing drill on its western coast, hours after observers heard an explosive sound near the frontline island of Baengnyeong, South Korea’s military confirmed on Saturday.
Since the launch of the Kwangmyongson-4 satellite, which was viewed by many as a test of banned missile technology, the US and South Korea have been discussing how best to respond.
South Korea has also expressed concerns about the recent launch of a long-range missile, and January’s nuclear test.
North Korea has an intelligence service, known as the “225th Bureau”, dedicated to the subversion of its southern neighbour.
China is often blamed for not pressuring Pyongyang enough, but now its ability to contain North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic ambitions is also being questioned.
And for the first time, it establishes a framework for sanctions in response to North Korean cyber threats, according to Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Bob Corker.
The United States announced Friday it would reject a call on the part of China for “peace treaty negotiations” with Pyongyang, though the State Department did not provide any specifics on the matter. He did not mention any potential collaborators, though North Korea has very few allies.
The expanded sanctions aim to cut off NorthKorea’s access to the money it needs to advance its nuclear warhead and long-range missile development.
The legislation also authorises $50 million over the next five years to transmit radio broadcasts into North Korea, purchase communications equipment and support humanitarian assistance programmes.
“The DPRK’s successes in H-bomb test and in the launch of satellite Kwangmyongsong-4 startled our planet”, KCNA said.
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Park Geun-hye pledged further “strong” measures after suspending operations at a jointly-run industrial park. Japan has done the same, passing into law this week a ban of North Korean ships entering Japanese ports and full travel ban for North Korean citizens to Japan.
