Seoul/Washington, July 4
In it’s second biggest salvo of ballistic weaponry in three years, North Korea today test- fired seven missiles, sending a message of defiance to the USA, on its Independence Day.

The seven missiles, all believed to be of short or intermediate range, were fired toward the Sea of Japan from its southeastern region, the South Korean military said.

It was the biggest salvo of ballistic weaponry since Pyongyang fired seven missiles, including a long-range Taepodong-2 rocket, on the US Independence Day in 2006.

Pyongyang’s actions are being seen as a clear expression of its stern posture against the USA, Japan, South Korea and other members of the international community that have stepped up pressure on the reclusive nation through UN Security Council sanctions in response to its recent nuclear test and missile launches.

Reacting to the sabre-rattling by North Korea, the USA said Pyongyang should “refrain from actions that aggravate tension and focus on denuclearisation talks”. “This type of North Korean behaviour is not helpful,” State Department spokesman Karl Duckworth said.

US President Barack Obama had said yesterday that after Pyongyang conducted an underground nuclear test in May, the UN approved “the most robust sanctions that we’ve ever seen with respect to North Korea”.

Obama had expressed optimism that he could get international agreement for even tougher action if North Korea continued to defy the demand that it should dismantle its nuclear weapons and stop their production.

The UN sanctions, for instance, did not include one thing that Washington wanted: “allowing the use of military force to board and inspect ships suspected of carrying banned weapons”.

“In international diplomacy, people tend to want to go in stages,” Obama said. “There is room for more later,” he was quoted as saying by AP.

The Japanese and South Korean governments have condemned the North Korean act terming it a provocative action in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions.

“The military, on the basis of a joint defence alliance with the USA, is fully prepared to fend off any threat or provocation by North Korea,” South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

Describing the series of missiles tests as a “provocative act”, he said it clearly violated three UNSC resolutions, including the latest one on June 12 that toughened weapon-related sanctions on North Korea in response to its May 25 nuclear test.

Japan has also condemned the missile launches and warned that it will take “appropriate measures” to implement the UNSC resolutions. “It is a serious act of provocation against the security of neighbouring countries, including ours,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said. Kawamura warned Tokyo would “promptly take appropriate measures” to implement the resolution.

The South Korean military believes the missiles flew about 400-500 km offshore before falling into the Sea of Japan. — PTI