North Korea: "Missile Launch is a Self-Defensive Measure Against US Military Threat"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] North Korea defended its recent missile launches as self-defensive measures to protect safety from threats by the United States and strongly opposed the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) adopting a resolution against North Korea's missile launches.

A spokesperson for North Korea's State Aviation Administration stated in a statement released to the Korean Central News Agency on the 8th, "The missile test launches are normal and planned measures to safeguard the country's safety and regional peace from the direct military threats by the United States that have continued for over half a century," adding, "They have posed no threat or harm to the safety of civil aviation or to the safety of neighboring countries and the region."

He continued, "Attempts by the United States and its followers to obstruct our country's exercise of the right to self-defense are violent infringements of national sovereignty that violate the UN Charter," and warned, "The State Aviation Administration will not tolerate even the slightest of the hostile forces' schemes to isolate and crush the Republic at the organization and will respond more firmly."

The spokesperson criticized, "ICAO's adoption of a resolution against North Korea's missile launches is a political provocation by the United States and others to deprive North Korea of its sovereignty," and added that they firmly reject it.

Earlier, the UN specialized agency ICAO held its 41st General Assembly at its headquarters in Montreal, Canada, from the 27th of last month. On the 3rd, in response to a commentary request from Voice of America (VOA) regarding North Korea's missile provocations, ICAO reaffirmed a strong condemnation, stating, "North Korea's continued ballistic missile launches over or near international air routes can seriously threaten civil aviation safety."