By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
North Korea's latest test-firings of seven short- and medium-range missiles off the east coast have sparked strong condemnation from the international community.
Some analysts say the missile launches Saturday appear to have been aimed at improving the missiles' accuracy.
``Five of seven missiles North Korea fired landed within the same area in the East Sea. This means the accuracy of North Korean missiles is improving,'' a government official was quoted as saying by Yonhap News Agency.
The test-firings of missiles with a range of 400 to 500 kilometers, putting South Korea within range, came as the North has been under pressure by the international community to stop provocation and give up its nuclear ambitions.
Last Thursday, the North fired four short-range missiles off its east coast, the Ministry of National Defense said.
Following Saturday's missile launches, which coincided with the U.S. Independence Day holiday, the governments of South Korea and other regional powers urged Pyongyang to stop raising regional and international tensions.
Moon Tae-young, spokesman for Seoul's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, expressed deep concern about the North's provocation, saying the missile tests were in violation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions that ban the North from engaging in any missile-related activities.
``The latest tests are a clear provocative act violating U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1695, 1718 and 1874 against ballistic missile programs,'' Moon said in a statement. ``We urge North Korea to live up to the resolutions sincerely.''
The Seoul government will come up with proper countermeasures to have the North observe the latest Resolution 1874, in consultation with other countries concerned, said the spokesman.
The resolution, endorsed unanimously by Security Council members after North Korea conducted a second nuclear test May 25, also bans the communist state from trafficking in a wide range of weapons of mass destruction and conventional weaponry.
Karl Duckworth, a U.S. State Department spokesman, said, ``North Korea should refrain from actions that aggravate tensions and focus on denuclearization talks and the implementation of its commitments from the September 19, 2005, joint statement.''
``This type of North Korean behavior is not helpful,'' Duckworth said.
Key European nations spoke with one voice, denouncing the North.
``France condemns the missile tests carried out by North Korea on Saturday, July 4, which undermine regional security and stability and constitute a violation of U.N. Security Council Resolutions 1718 and 1874,'' a statement issued by the French foreign ministry said. ``It calls on North Korea to refrain from any further provocation and to implement without delay the Security Council resolutions.''
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said, ``These latest provocations will only serve to strengthen our resolve as we work with international partners to implement the robust measures in the U.N. Security Council Resolution passed unanimously last month.''
He urged Pyongyang to return to the disarmament talks, which have been in a stalemate for months.
Russia and China, members of the six-party denuclearization forum, also called for North Korea's return to the negotiations.
Saturday's tests were the largest launch of missiles by the North for about three years.
Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said the missiles had a range of between 400 and 500 kilometers. JCS sources said they were either short-range Scuds, or intermediate-range Rodong-1 missiles.
According to a government official, the North might have deliberately shortened the flight distance of some Rodong missiles to test their accuracy.
North Korea is believed to have deployed more than 600 Scuds with a range of 320-500 kilometers and 200 Rodongs with a range of 1,300 kilometers near the Demilitarized Zone that divides the two Koreas.
North Korea's short-range missiles pose a grave threat to South Korea and U.S. Forces Korea, missile experts say, because they could reach South Korean territory within about six minutes.
The reclusive North is also believed to have developed an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of hitting part of the United States.