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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 N Korea warns US of ‘more gifts’
A Hyunmoo II ballistic missile is fired during an exercise at an undisclosed location in South Korea on Monday. Photo: AP/South Korean Ministry of National Defense
/ Reuters, GENEVA, Switzerland
Amid international uproar over North Korea’s latest and biggest nuclear weapons test, one of its top diplomats yesterday said it was ready to send “more gift packages” to the US.
North Korean Ambassador to the UN Han Tae-song was addressing the UN-sponsored Conference on Disarmament two days after his country carried out its sixth nuclear test.
“I am proud of saying that just two days ago on the 3rd of September, DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] successfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test for intercontinental ballistic rocket under its plan for building a strategic nuclear force,” Han told the Geneva forum.
“The recent self-defense measures by my country, DPRK, are a ‘gift package’ addressed to none other than the US,” Han said.
“The US will receive more ‘gift packages’ from my country as long as its relies on reckless provocations and futile attempts to put pressure on the DPRK,” he added, without elaborating.
Military measures being taken by North Korea were “an exercise of restraint and justified self-defense right” to counter “the ever-growing and decade-long US nuclear threat and hostile policy aimed at isolating my country,” he said..
“Pressure or sanctions will never work on my country,” Han said.
“The DPRK will never under any circumstances put its nuclear deterrence on the negotiating table,” he added.
US Ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament Robert Wood said that North Korea had defied the international community once again with its test.
“We look forward to working with our partners in the [UN Security] Council with regard to a new resolution that will put some of the strongest sanctions possible on the DPRK,” he told the conference.
“Advances in the regime’s nuclear and missile program are a threat to us all... Now is the time to say tests, threats and destabilizing actions will no longer be tolerated,” Wood said.
South Korea’s Asia Business Daily, citing an unidentified source, reported that North Korea had been observed moving a rocket that appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile （ICBM） toward its west coast.
The rocket started moving on Monday and was spotted moving only at night to avoid surveillance, the newspaper said.
The South Korean Ministry of National Defense, which on Monday said that Pyongyang was ready to launch an ICBM at any time, said it was not able to confirm the report.
Analysts and South Korean policymakers believe North Korea might test another weapon on or around Saturday, when it celebrates its founding day.
After weeks of rising tension, South Korea is talking to the US about deploying aircraft carriers and strategic bombers to the Korean Peninsula, and has been ramping up its own defenses.
US President Donald Trump and his South Korean counterpart, Moon Jae-in, on Monday agreed to scrap a warhead weight limit on South Korea’s missiles, South Korea’s presidential office said, enabling it to strike North Korea with greater force in the event of war.
“We believe the unlimited warhead payload will be useful in responding to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats,” South Korean defense ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun told a briefing.
Under current guidelines, last changed in 2012, South Korea can develop missiles up to a range of 800km, with a maximum payload of 500kg.
Most of North Korea’s missiles are designed to carry payloads of 100kg to 1,000kg, according to US-based think tank Nuclear Threat Initiative.
South Korea’s navy held more exercises yesterday, a naval officer told a defense ministry briefing.
“Today’s training is being held to prepare for maritime North Korean provocations, inspect our navy’s readiness and to reaffirm our will to punish the enemy,” the official said.
US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley on Monday said that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was “begging for war” and urged the 15-member UN Security Council to impose the “strongest possible” sanctions to deter him and shut down his trading partners.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
