Leaders from across the Asia Pacific region have strongly condemned today’s ballistic missile launch by North Korea.
The leaders of Japan, South Korea, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States vice president Kamala Harris held a press conference at APEC in Bangkok at short notice where they condemned the North Korea’s ICBM launch today, the missile landed in the sea 200 kilometres off the coast of Hokkaido in Japan.
Harris told the press that the launch undermines security in the region and unnecessarily raises tensions and urged North Korea to cease its destabilising acts.
“On behalf of the United States I reconfirm our iron clad commitment to our Indo-Pacific alliances together the countries represented here will continue to urge North Korea to commit to serious and sustained diplomacy.
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Japan’s prime minister Fumio Kishida said the missile landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone and that North Korea has fired more than 50 ballistic missiles this year alone.
“It is repeating the launches at an unprecedented frequency, today’s launch too is utterly unacceptable. ”
“There is a possibility North Korea will conduct further missiles or conduct nuclear tests, the international community must respond in unity.
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South Korean leader Han Duck-soo called the missile launch a “grave provocation” and said it was a clearly in breach of multiple United Nations’ Security Council resolutions.
“This threat to peace and stability by the DPRK (North Korea) will never be tolerated. ”
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country joined other nations in condemning in the strongest terms North Korea’s missile launch.
“We continue to stand strong with all our North Pacific allies.
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Jacinda Ardern also condemned the missile launch and acknowledged the anxiety the increasing number of missile launches is causing in the region.
“You can be assured of New Zealand’s ongoing response and strength of response,” she said.
Ardern also said New Zealand stands strongly on the principle of nuclear prohibition not just proliferation and would continue to do so.
The Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese the unprecedented ballistic missile launches undermine the region’s security.
“They are reckless actions and I particularly feel for the people of South Korea and Japan who will be deeply concerned by these actions. “.
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