KN-20 / Hwasong 15 ICBM
Some nuclear experts say the North had yet to prove it has mastered all technical hurdles, including the ability deliver a heavy nuclear warhead reliably atop an ICBM, but it was likely that it soon would. "We don't have to like it, but we're going to have to learn to live with North Korea's ability to target the United States with nuclear weapons," said Jeffrey Lewis, head of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of Strategic Studies.
USA Reactions
Donald Trump said that the United States will "take care of" the North Korean issue after the North fired what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile. Trump told reporters that it is a situation that the U.S. will handle, during a meeting with Republican congressional leaders at the White House. Donald Trump said “I will only tell you that we will take care of it. We have General Mattis in the room, and we have had a long discussion on it. It is a situation that we will handle."
Senator Lindsey Graham told CNN that Pyongyang should know that President Donald Trump takes the latest North Korean provocation seriously, adding Trump will not sit back as the North is nearing a situation where it can strike the U.S. mainland with a nuke-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile. Graham said neither he nor Trump wants a war, but the U.S. will not let “this crazy man in North Korea” secure such capability. He added that if the U.S. has to go to war to stop it, it will, adding "If there's a war with North Korea it will be because North Korea brought it on itself, and we're headed to a war if things don't change."
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged the international community to keep taking strong economic and diplomatic measures against North Korea. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert read Tillerson's statement at a news conference. The statement says, "The United States strongly condemns North Korea's launch of what is likely an intercontinental ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan, indiscriminately threatening its neighbors, the region and global stability." It says the US will convene a meeting of countries, including Japan and South Korea, to discuss how the global community can counter North Korea's threat to international peace.
Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe agreed to cement their bilateral alliance to curb North Korea's threat and step up pressure against the communist state during a phone conversation. Japan's Kyodo News and NHK said that the two leaders also reaffirmed that China's additional role is vital to this end. The phone call took place for about 20 minutes from 6:30 a.m., hours after the North fired a long-range ballistic missile which landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone.
Abe reportedly said he believes the projectile possesses a maximum range of an intercontinental ballistic missile and stressed missile launches can never be tolerated. He said he highly regards the U.S.’ move of relisting North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Other Security Council Reactions
China expressed “grave concern and opposition” to North Korea’s advanced ballistic missile test. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang relayed Beijing's position on the matter during a regular media briefing. He pointed out that UN Security Council(UNSC) resolutions have clear rules regarding the North’s ballistic missile activities. He also said China is strongly urging Pyongyang to abide by UNSC resolutions and stop ratcheting up tensions on the Korean Peninsula. The official also called on all concerned parties to behave carefully to maintain regional peace and security.
The launch was condemned by Moscow. “Another missile launch is a provocative act that triggers further escalation and moves us further away from crisis settlement,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. “We do condemn the launch and hope all the parties will exercise restraint which is so much needed to prevent the situation in the Korean peninsula from going the worst way.”
The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting to discuss North Korea's latest missile provocation. South Korea, the US and Japan requested the emergency discussion right after Pyongyang launched a long-range ballistic missile. Security Council resolutions ban North Korea's ballistic missile launches. The council is expected to strongly condemn and express serious concern over the launch and adopt a chairman's statement or press statement.
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