The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting in connection with North Korea's recent launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile, which is prohibited by its own resolution. How the situation on the Korean Peninsula is developing and why Israel, according to the logic of the States, has the right to self-defense, but the DPRK does not – in the material of Izvestia.
On December 17 and 18, two missiles were fired from Pyongyang, with a difference of just over 10 hours, towards the Sea of Japan: short-range and long-range. The second, the Hwasong-18 ICBM, was launched along a steep, almost vertical trajectory, as a result of which the projectile rose to an altitude of 6.5 thousand km. In a straight trajectory, the rocket could fly 15 thousand km and reach the shores of the United States. This was the fifth ICBM launch in a year, a record.
In this regard, 10 countries, including Japan, South Korea, the United States, France and the United Kingdom, condemned the DPRK's actions in a joint statement.
“North Korea’s nuclear and missile developments are absolutely unacceptable, as they pose a threat to the peace and security of Japan and the international community,” the Japanese Embassy in the Russian Federation told Izvestia.
In turn, North Korean representative Kim Song accused Washington, as well as Seoul, of creating this threat and held them responsible for the current situation, which forced his country to develop nuclear weapons. He also drew attention to the fact that a little more than a week ago, the United States vetoed a draft resolution to resolve the situation in the Gaza Strip, saying that it “did not mention Israel’s right to self-defense.” In this light, according to the North Korean diplomat, “this is a mockery and the height of tragicomedy.”
At the same time, a few hours before the UN Security Council meeting in Washington, they stated that they were still ready for negotiations with the DPRK, and without preconditions.
In addition, on December 15, a meeting between the Americans and the South Koreans took place in Washington. At it, the parties once again discussed measures to contain the DPRK. On December 19, the United States, Japan and the Republic of Korea launched a three-way communication line to exchange information on Pyongyang's missile launches in real time. The scheme will allow you to quickly transmit data about the point of launch and fall of the rocket, as well as more accurately analyze the flight altitude.
“With the launch of this communication line, the combat use of missile defense by Japan, South Korea and the United States is not excluded. And since the DPRK, of course, does not have such early warning means, it may consider a launch to be the beginning of an attack. Moreover, from Seoul to Pyongyang is a little more than 200 km, and it will be very difficult to react correctly,” Alexander Zhebin, a leading researcher at the Center for Korean Studies at the Institute of Social Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Izvestia.
Read more in the exclusive material from Izvestia:
Bravo for self-defense: the UN Security Council clashed over the DPRK
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