Korea missiles

US tells North Korea not to aggravate tensions aftern missile tests

Article published on the 2009-07-04 Latest update 2009-07-04 08:53 TU

A mock scud missile (top) and South Korean missiles are displayed at South Korea's War Memorial in Seoul
(Photo: Reuters)

The US on Saturday told North Korea not to "aggravate tensions" after South Korean officials reported that Pyongyang had test-fired seven ballistic missiles. Seoul denounced the move as a violation of UN Security Council resolutions.

After the North fired several ballistic missiles for the first time for three years, Washington declared the move "not helpful".

"North Korea should refrain from actions that aggravate tensions and focus on denuclearisation talks and the implementation of its commitments from the September 19, 2005 joint statement," said State Department official Karl Duckworth.

They come on the US's Independence Day, in a possible reasponse to Washington's bid to further toughen sanctions against Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programmes.

But the statement was not tough enough for Israeli Trade and Industry Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer.

"I am very concerned about the United States' reaction to North Korea's gross provocation," he said in a speech in Tel  Aviv.

Russia and China have called for calm. Moscow declared that there is no alternative to six-party talks with North Korea, which it participates in along with North and South Korea, Japan, China and the US.

A US delegation met Chinese officials this week to discuss implementing UN sanctions on Pyongyang for its recent nuclear test.

South Korea's Foreign Ministry called the tests a "provocative act", which "clearly violates" Security Council resolutions.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff says that the missiles' range is between 400 and 500 kilometers. Unlike short-range missiles tested Thursday, they could reach most of South Korea and  possibly parts of Japan.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency says that the missiles were either Scuds or Rodong-1 missiles, whose maximum range of 1,300 kilometers has been shortened.

"This is a thinly veiled warning to the United States and the international community that it may launch long-range missiles next time," South Korean analyst Kim Yong-Hyun told the AFP news agency.

Baek Seung-Joo, of the Korea Institute for Defence Analyses points out that Pyongyang test-fires missiles three or four times a year to improve technology and maintain missile exports.

"Today's launches were part of a usual military drill but by firing 500 kilometer-range Scuds," Baek told AFP. "The North was clearly displaying its ability to strike back against any international sanctions involving military means."

Recent reports have claimed that North Korea may be helping Myanmar's military rulers acquire nuclear technology.