By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter
The U.N. Security Council will discuss possible sanctions on North Korea if the communist country test-fires a missile or launches a communications satellite, the U.N. chief and South Korea's top diplomat indicated, Friday.
``That's what Security Council members will discuss when and after anything happens,'' U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told a news conference at the U.N. headquarters in New York in response to a question about whether the United Nations will move to impose sanctions on Pyongyang.
``I'm concerned about North Korea's recent move to launch a satellite or long-range missile. This will threaten the peace and stability in the region,'' he said, adding the launch violates a U.N. resolution in October 2006 that prohibits North Korea from test-firing a ballistic missile or conducting nuclear experiments.
Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Yu Myung-hwan said he believes the council will discuss counteractions against North Korea.
``If the North launches either a missile or a satellite, it will be referred to the council for possible sanctions,'' Yu told reporters at the Korea Press Center in Seoul. ``The United States, China, Japan, Russia and many other countries have already told the North to give up its missile ambitions. We will act with them, too.''
South Korea is in close consultation with the countries and launched a task force, headed by chief nuclear envoy Wi Sung-lac to deal with Pyongyang's provocations, ministry officials said. The regional powers are the North's dialogue partners at the six-way talks on ending its nuclear development.
The reactions came one day after North Korea said it notified the International Maritime Organization (IMO) of its plan to launch an experimental communications satellite between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m. (GMT), sometime between April 4 and 8.
In London, the IMO told its member countries that the three-stage Kwangmyongsong-2 rocket carrying the satellite has a range of 650 to 3,600 kilometers, and that rocket boosters could possibly fall into the East Sea between Korea and Japan and the Pacific Ocean. The rocket will possibly be propelled from the space center in Musudanri, in the northeastern area of the country, where the North has allegedly conducted nuclear experiments, according to intelligence sources.
North Korea has claimed the planned satellite launch is for peaceful purposes, but U.S. and South Korean officials see it as a smokescreen for a test of its advanced ballistic missiles. In 2006, the North fired a long-range Taepodong-2 missile, along with several short-range weapons, that plunged into the sea about 40 seconds after lift-off. Intelligence officials at the time said the test was an apparent failure.
On Thursday, U.S. President Barack Obama expressed deep concerns over the North's plan to launch a satellite.
``The president highlighted the risks posed by North Korea's missile program,'' the White House said in a statement issued at the end of Obama's meeting with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.
Obama also pledged to continue the six-party talks on the North's nuclear program, the statement said.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton proposed missile talks with North Korea, Wednesday, while calling for the early resumption of the six-party talks.
jj@koreatimes.co.kr
