N. Korean Missile Announcement Considered a Slap to Diplomacy
Diplomats and analysts are generally pessimistic international pressure will prompt North Korea to halt a planned rocket launch in mid-April, raising questions of whether diplomacy with the reclusive state has failed.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon became the latest prominent voice to express opposition to North Korea’s upcoming missile launch.
“I urge the DPRK [North Korea] authorities to refrain from any such act, which will destabilize the situation and peace and stability in the Korean peninsular and which is against the aspiration and inspiration of the international community,” the U.N. chief said.
Ban said the launch would clearly violate Security Council resolutions and that he will raise the issue at next week’s international nuclear security summit here in Seoul.
Sovereign right
North Korea says it has a sovereign right to put scientific satellites into space. But the reclusive state is under sanctions for its nuclear and missile-development programs. Amid concern Pyongyang is trying to put a nuclear warhead atop multi-stage missiles, it is restricted from space launches.
A North Korean communique threatens war with South Korea and its allies if Pyongyang’s nuclear program is a subject of discussion at next week’s Seoul summit.
Caution
Analysts say, although such rhetoric from the North is no cause for immediate alarm, it is prudent to be cautious.
Harvard University Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs senior fellow William Tobey served on the National Security Council staff in three U.S. administrations.
“They [North Korea] say crazy things every week,” Tobey said. “But every once in a while they also undertake some crazy actions. They sank a South Korean corvette. They shelled a South Korean island. They have committed acts of terrorism in the past. So the North Korean threat is serious, but it is hard to judge how imminent it is.”