- "Reckless provocation" - ========================== Last week South Korea elected a new president, Moon Jae-In, who advocates reconciliation with Pyongyang and said at his inauguration that he was willing "in the right circumstances" to visit the North to ease tensions.
In the wake of North Korea's medium-range missile launch into the Sea of Japan on Saturday, the UNSC slammed the self-isolated country for "highly destabilizing behavior and flagrant and provocative defiance" it displays by turning a blind eye to multiple United Nations resolutions expressly prohibiting it from attempting such actions.
Trump also has flexed USA military muscle, although with little apparent effect in deterring North Korean leader Kim Jong Un from his rapid tempo of weapons tests.
Pyongyang insists it needs nuclear weapons to defend against the threat of invasion by the USA, and shows no indication of any willingness to give them up, whatever concessions are offered.
"It is considered an [intermediate-range ballistic missile] of enhanced calibre compared to Musudan missiles that have continually failed", he said.
The North has carried out two atomic tests and dozens of missile launches since the beginning of past year in its quest to develop a missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the continental United States - something President Donald Trump has vowed "won't happen".
The UN Security Council first imposed sanctions on North Korea in 2006 and has strengthened the measures in response to its five nuclear tests and two long-range rocket launches.
In a unanimously agreed statement, the 15-member council said it was of vital importance that North Korea show "sincere commitment to denuclearization through concrete action and stressed the importance of working to reduce tensions".
Following the launch, one of the most vocal voices in the chorus of those denouncing North Korea and its leader Kin Jong-un was that of the U.S. ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, who went as far as to suggest that Kim was "in a state of paranoia" and vowed that Washington would proceed with "tightening the screws" on the pariah state.
Trump claims 'absolute right' to share info with Russian Federation
Ryan's office said he hoped for a full explanation, while McConnell said he wished for a little less drama from the White House. Notably, neither Trump nor his advisers have explicitly denied the president shared classified intelligence.
Asked if North Korea's missile programme was developing faster than the South had expected, he said: "Yes".
FILE - United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks to reporters outside the General Assembly at U.N. headquarters. "If the U.S. dares opt for a military provocation against the DPRK, we are ready to counter it", it said.
Pyongyang should "conduct no further nuclear and ballistic missile tests", it said. A possible next step would be to restrict Chinese exports of oil to the North.
"In the Kim Jong-Il era, North Korea launched missiles to get Washington's attention", he said.
"As South Korea's diplomatic situation matures, North Korea should also show a more mature attitude, not a childish one, and contribute to (establishing a better) diplomatic relationship", said Jin Hyo-seon, 33, a painter.
The adoption of the US-drafted statement came ahead of an emergency closed-door session of the council called by the United States and Japan to discuss the missile launch.
"Now is the time to put pressure on North Korea", Abe said.
The U.S. Seventh Fleet carrier, the Ronald Reagan, left Yokosuka in Japan on Tuesday on its regular spring patrol and will be out for around three to four months, a Seventh Fleet spokesman said.
Comments