United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, several Western countries, Japan and South Korea condemned the launch as a flagrant violation of UN Security Council resolutions because it used ballistic missile technology.
North Korea’s ambassador today justified the launch of a spy satellite at the UN Security Council, arguing that it was done within the framework of his country’s “right to legitimate defense” against the threat posed by the US.
After two failed attempts in May and August, the missile launched on Tuesday put the military observation satellite “Malligyong-1” into orbit, according to the North Korean News Agency (KCNA). South Korea has confirmed that the North Korean satellite was put into orbit.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, several Western countries, Japan and South Korea condemned the launch as a flagrant violation of UN Security Council resolutions because it used ballistic missile technology.
“No other country in the world is facing such a critical situation” in terms of security, North Korea’s UN ambassador Kim Song said, noting that other countries are not subject to restrictions on launching satellites. .
“A warring side, the US, is threatening us with nuclear weapons,” Kim Song claimed. “It is the legal right of North Korea, as a belligerent, to develop, test, manufacture and possess weapons systems similar to those possessed or developed by the US,” he added.
Emboldening accusations that Pyongyang is using its satellite program as a pretext to perfect its missiles, Kim Song questioned whether the United States was launching satellites “by catapult.”
US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield rejected Pyongyang’s claims, stressing that the joint US-South Korean military exercises are defensive in nature and the dates are announced in advance – in contrast to the practice followed by North Korea. He also once again accused China and Russia – permanent veto-wielding members – of preventing the Security Council from taking action.
China’s deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Geng Shuang, criticized Washington for “escalating tensions and confrontation” over its military alliance with Seoul. “If North Korea continues to feel threatened and reasonable security concerns remain (…) the Korean peninsula will remain locked in a vicious cycle of retaliatory aggression,” he said.
Source :Skai
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