N Korea defies world pressure, test-fires ballistic missile again

Seoul, April 29 

North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile on Saturday shortly after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned that failure to curb Pyongyang’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes could lead to “catastrophic consequences”.

US and South Korean officials said the test, from an area north of the North Korean capital, appeared to have failed, in what would be the North’s fourth straight unsuccessful missile test since March.

The South Korean military said the missile reached an altitude of 71 km before disintegrating. It said the launch was a clear violation of UN resolutions and warned the North not to act rashly.

With North Korea acting in defiance of the pressure, the United States could conduct new naval drills and deploy more ships and aircraft in the region, a US official said.

The test came as the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier group arrived in waters near the Korean peninsula, where it began exercises with the South Korean navy on Saturday, about 12 hours after the failed launch, a South Korean navy official said.

Tillerson, in a UN Security Council meeting on North Korea on Friday, repeated the Trump administration’s position that all options were on the table if Pyongyang persisted with its nuclear and missile development.

“The threat of a nuclear attack on Seoul, or Tokyo, is real, and it’s only a matter of time before North Korea develops the capability to strike the US mainland,” Tillerson said. “Failing to act now on the most pressing security issue in the world may bring catastrophic consequences.” US President Donald Trump said the launch was an affront to China, the North’s sole main ally.

“North Korea disrespected the wishes of China & its highly respected President when it launched, though unsuccessfully, a missile today. Bad!,” Trump said in a post on Twitter after the launch. — Reuters

Wang-Tillerson meet amid tensions

Amid escalating tensions over North Korea’s nuclear programme, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has held talks with his American counterpart Rex Tillerson to discuss cooperation in dealing with the “challenge” of the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. The two leaders agreed to reduce tensions in the Korean peninsula through dialogue as they met on the sidelines of a Security Council ministerial meeting.