North Korean Missile Launch

“North Korea’s announcement that it plans to conduct a missile launch in direct violation of its international obligations is highly provocative,” U.S. State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland said in a press statement issued recently in Washington. “United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874 clearly and unequivocally prohibit North Korea from conducting launches that use ballistic missile technology.

“The United States would consider a [missile] launch a violation, not only of [North Korea’s] United Nations obligations, but of the commitments that they made to [the United States] on Leap Day, [February 29th],” Ms. Nuland said.

During the February 23-24 bilateral talks with the DPRK, the United States made clear to the DPRK that a satellite launch would be a deal breaker.

The United States notes that all the participants involved in the Six-Party Talks – South Korea, Japan, China and Russia – have made clear that North Korea’s planned missile launch would be a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

“Such a missile launch would pose a threat to regional security and would also be inconsistent with North Korea’s recent undertaking to refrain from long-range missile launches,” Ms. Nuland said in conclusion. “We call on North Korea to adhere to its international obligations, including all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions. We are consulting closely with our international partners on next steps.”