GENEVA: North Korea on Tuesday defended its use of “harsh countermeasures” against what it described as US aggression hours after the nation with nuclear weapons fired a ballistic missile over Japan.
Addressing the UN Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, North Korea’s ambassador Han Tae-Song avoided any direct mention of the rocket flying over Japan and provoked global alarm.
“Now that the United States has openly stated its hostile intent towards the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea by launching joint aggressive military exercises despite repeated warnings … my country has every reason to respond with harsh countermeasures as an exercise of its rights to the Self-defense, “Han said.
He said Washington would be responsible for “the catastrophic consequences” that may result from increased tensions on the Korean peninsula.
Tuesday’s missile launch came during the joint military exercise of Ulchi Freedom Guardian South Korea-US, which the North always condemns as invasion trials.
At the UN conference, several envoys, including the United States, European Union, Japan and Australia, took the floor to exploit North Korea on the latest rocket launch.
“My hope is that North Korea will end this provocative behavior,” said US Ambassador Robert Wood.
Responding to the avalanche of criticism, Han said Pyongyang “will continue to strengthen its defense capability with the nuclear force as long as the United States maintains its nuclear threat and its military exercises non-stop.”
Pyongyang last month conducted two open missile tests that seemed to draw much of the continental United States within reach for the first time and heightened tensions in the region.
US President Donald Trump vowed after those launches that Washington would launch “fire and fury” against North Korea.
