US-ROK Chief Nuclear Envoys Condemn North Korea's Missile Launch

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] The chief nuclear envoys of South Korea and the United States discussed response measures to North Korea's launch of a medium-range ballistic missile on the 30th.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that on the same day, Noh Kyu-duk, Director-General for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held a phone consultation with Sung Kim, U.S. Special Representative for North Korea, condemning North Korea's launch of a medium-range ballistic missile.

North Korea fired another projectile into the East Sea on the 30th. This marks the seventh show of force since the beginning of the new year, coming just three days after launching two ground-to-ground tactical guided missiles on the 27th. The Joint Chiefs of Staff announced in a text message sent to the press corps at 7:57 a.m. that North Korea had fired an unidentified projectile into the East Sea. The photo shows citizens watching the related news at Seoul Station on the same day. Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Both sides agreed that North Korea's recent launch challenges the international community's demand for a diplomatic resolution of the Korean Peninsula issue and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.

South Korea and the U.S. agreed to maintain security posture based on the strong ROK-U.S. alliance while continuing efforts to promptly resume dialogue with North Korea.

The ROK-U.S. chief nuclear envoys had also held phone consultations after North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile on the 27th, expressing deep concern over North Korea's consecutive missile launches.

In particular, attention is focused on whether efforts to strengthen international responses at the UNSC level will be intensified, as both sides defined this launch as a "challenge to UNSC resolutions."

South Korea did not participate in the off-the-record joint statement issued mainly by Security Council members during two recent UNSC meetings condemning North Korea's successive missile launches.

However, South Korea and the U.S. have consistently expressed their stance to continue efforts to resume dialogue.

Meanwhile, Director-General Noh also held a phone consultation with Takehiro Funakoshi, Director-General of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau at Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Japan's chief nuclear envoy, on the same day.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that South Korea and Japan shared their assessments of North Korea's medium-range ballistic missile launch and agreed to continue close communication and cooperation for stable management of the Korean Peninsula situation and the prompt resumption of dialogue.

The U.S. and Japan's chief nuclear envoys also held a separate phone consultation. Representative Kim and Director-General Funakoshi shared the view that North Korea's recent ballistic missile launch is more serious compared to the recent series of launches and confirmed the policy of cooperation among the U.S., Japan, and South Korea.