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Federal Foreign Office Spokesperson on the ballistic missile test in North Korea
A Federal Foreign Office Spokesperson issued the following statement today (9 May) on the ballistic missile test in North Korea:
We condemn the ballistic missile test carried out by North Korea today (Thursday) just a short time after the missile launches on 4 May 2019.
Each ballistic missile test by North Korea – and current information indicates that is what has taken place – represents a major breach of North Korea’s international obligations contained in relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. Each test increases doubts as to Pyongyang’s readiness to take concrete steps to renounce its ballistic missile and nuclear weapon programme.
We call upon North Korea again to refrain from any provocative action, to implement decisions made by the UN Security Council in their entirety and to give diplomatic processes a chance. We expect concrete and substantial steps from North Korea to move closer to complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation.
Background information:
According to information from the Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea, North Korea launched a short range missile over its own territory from its base in Sino ri at 4.29 p.m. and again at 4.49 p.m. on 9 May. The two missiles are reported to have flown 420 km and 270 km respectively. The test coincided with a meeting between US chief negotiator Biegun and his South Korean counterpart in Seoul and took place just a few hours before South Korean President Moon addressed the nation on the second anniversary of taking office.