North Korea Independence Day missile launches described as provocative

Spain News.Net
Saturday 4th July, 2009

South Korea's Defense Ministry says North Korea launched seven missiles off its eastern coast Saturday.

The missiles were fired over the entire day Saturday, commencing early in the morning, continuing throuighout the afternoon and the early evening.

The test launches coincided with the United States' Independence Day holiday, drawing comparisons to North Korea's test of a long-range missile on the July 4 holiday three years ago. The North's May nuclear test fell on the U.S. Memorial Day holiday.

In South Korea the Foreign Ministry issued a statement calling the launches a "provocative act" and expressing "deep regret over North Korea's continued acts to escalate tensions in Northeast Asia." South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff released a statement saying the military is fully ready to counter any North Korean threats and provocations.

Japan's Foreign Ministry has condemned the latest missile launches as a serious act of provocation against the security of neighboring countries.

On Thursday, North Korea fired several short range missiles. The United States and North Korea's neighbors described the launches as provocative, and called on the communist country to return to negotiations on de-nuclearization.

The missile tests add to the tensions on the Korean peninsula over North Korea's May 25 nuclear test and an April ballistic missile launch.

Japan defense officials last month said Pyongyang was preparing to launch a long-range missile capable of reaching the U.S. state of Hawaii around the U.S. Independence Day holiday.

Separately, a South Korean news report Saturday said the North Korean cargo ship that changed course after being tracked by U.S. vessels appears to be carrying conventional small weapons, including Soviet-era rifles and missile launchers.

The report by Yonhap news agency quoted an official who asked not to be named because the information had to do with intelligence. The Kang Nam 1 was believed to be on its way to Myanmar, also known as Burma.

The United Nations Security Council imposed a harsh new set of financial sanctions against North Korea last month in response to the nuclear and missile tests. The sanctions allow members to request a search of suspicious cargo to prevent Pyongyang from obtaining material needed for its nuclear and weapons programs.

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