By — PBS NewsHour PBS NewsHour Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/asia-jan-june09-northkorea_04-06 Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter U.S. Calls for Strong Response to North Korean Rocket Launch Politics Apr 6, 2009 6:45 PM EDT Claiming it was a satellite launch, North Korea fired a rocket on Sunday that flew at least 2,000 miles before crashing into the sea, doubling the distance of a test in 1998. World leaders, including President Obama, condemned the launch but the United Nations did not take immediate action against North Korea. Six-party talks over the country’s nuclear ambitions have stalled. During a visit to Prague, President Obama said the U.N. should respond with strong message and pledged to work of ridding the U.S. and the world of nuclear weapons. “They [North Korea] I think have taken a provocative action that creates instability in their region and around the world,” Mr. Obama said, according to Reuters. “We intend to work with the international community to deliver a strong message.” In his speech, President Obama presented a new plan for America’s disarmament policy. The U.N. Security Council met for an emergency session on Sunday but decided to take no immediate action. The U.S., Japan, France and Britain pushed for a resolution denouncing the test as a violation of sanctions prohibiting North Korea from launching ballistic missiles. U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice said the U.S. will ask the United Nations for a “clear and strong” response including a Security Council resolution that would be binding under international law. “We think that what was launched is not the issue; the fact that there was a launch using ballistic missile technology is itself a clear violation,” Rice said. China and Russia are likely to veto any resolutions that impose new sanctions, according to Reuters. Private meetings would continue over the next few days. While the U.S. military said the rocket, a Taepodong-2, did not place object in orbit, North Korea claims it put a satellite into orbit that is playing revolutionary songs as it circles the globe. North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-il insists the launch was a success and the state-run media praised his leadership. “Pride among North Koreans stemming from what they believe to be a successful launch would help keep his regime intact … creating a better atmosphere for Kim to hand over the power to his successor,” said Koh Yu-hwan, a Dongguk University professor of North Korea studies as quoted by Reuters. South Korea and Japan, who both joined the U.S. in warning North Korea not to proceed with the planned missile launch, spoke out against the launch. “North Korea’s reckless act of threatening regional and global security cannot have any justification,” said South Korean President Lee Myung-bak in a radio speech on Monday, the New York Times reported. Japanese President Taro Aso said it was a move in violation of the U.N. Security Council resolution that his country could not ignore, according to the Voice of America. The rocket crossed over Japanese airspace before it crashed into the Pacific Ocean. North Korea’s last missile test of the Taepodong-2 in July 2006 blew up about 40 seconds after takeoff. By — PBS NewsHour PBS NewsHour
Claiming it was a satellite launch, North Korea fired a rocket on Sunday that flew at least 2,000 miles before crashing into the sea, doubling the distance of a test in 1998. World leaders, including President Obama, condemned the launch but the United Nations did not take immediate action against North Korea. Six-party talks over the country’s nuclear ambitions have stalled. During a visit to Prague, President Obama said the U.N. should respond with strong message and pledged to work of ridding the U.S. and the world of nuclear weapons. “They [North Korea] I think have taken a provocative action that creates instability in their region and around the world,” Mr. Obama said, according to Reuters. “We intend to work with the international community to deliver a strong message.” In his speech, President Obama presented a new plan for America’s disarmament policy. The U.N. Security Council met for an emergency session on Sunday but decided to take no immediate action. The U.S., Japan, France and Britain pushed for a resolution denouncing the test as a violation of sanctions prohibiting North Korea from launching ballistic missiles. U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice said the U.S. will ask the United Nations for a “clear and strong” response including a Security Council resolution that would be binding under international law. “We think that what was launched is not the issue; the fact that there was a launch using ballistic missile technology is itself a clear violation,” Rice said. China and Russia are likely to veto any resolutions that impose new sanctions, according to Reuters. Private meetings would continue over the next few days. While the U.S. military said the rocket, a Taepodong-2, did not place object in orbit, North Korea claims it put a satellite into orbit that is playing revolutionary songs as it circles the globe. North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-il insists the launch was a success and the state-run media praised his leadership. “Pride among North Koreans stemming from what they believe to be a successful launch would help keep his regime intact … creating a better atmosphere for Kim to hand over the power to his successor,” said Koh Yu-hwan, a Dongguk University professor of North Korea studies as quoted by Reuters. South Korea and Japan, who both joined the U.S. in warning North Korea not to proceed with the planned missile launch, spoke out against the launch. “North Korea’s reckless act of threatening regional and global security cannot have any justification,” said South Korean President Lee Myung-bak in a radio speech on Monday, the New York Times reported. Japanese President Taro Aso said it was a move in violation of the U.N. Security Council resolution that his country could not ignore, according to the Voice of America. The rocket crossed over Japanese airspace before it crashed into the Pacific Ocean. North Korea’s last missile test of the Taepodong-2 in July 2006 blew up about 40 seconds after takeoff.