The Federal Government vehemently condemns today’s test by North Korea of several short‑range ballistic missiles. This was already the second such test within one week. Therefore, North Korea has once again violated its obligations under relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council. With these tests, North Korea is irresponsibly jeopardising international security. The Federal Government also made this clear last Thursday in the UN Security Council, which addressed North Korea’s latest missile tests at the request of Germany, France and the United Kingdom.

North Korea remains bound to the complete, verifiable and irreversible ending of its programmes to develop weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles. The Federal Government urgently calls on North Korea to comply with its obligations under international law and, in particular, to refrain from testing further ballistic missiles, as well as to accept the United States’ offer to take up the negotiations again that were broken off by North Korea.