South Korean and foreign visitors look at the North Korean
side through binoculars at a South Korean observation post
in Paju near the border village of the Panmunjom, South
Korea, yesterday. Photo by AP
The ballistic missiles that North Korea test-fired this
weekend were likely capable of striking key government and
military facilities in South Korea, a defence official said,
amid growing concerns over Pyongyang's firepower.
North Korean state media did not mention the launches but
boasted that the country's military could impose "merciless
punishment" on those who provoke it.
Pyongyang launched seven missiles into waters off its east
coast Saturday in a show of force that defied UN resolutions
and drew international condemnation.
The missiles appear to have travelled about 250 miles
(400km), meaning they could have reached almost any point in
South Korea, an official at the South Korean Defence Ministry
said on condition of anonymity, citing department policy.
The official said the exact details of the launches were
still under investigation.
The launches on July 4 appeared to be a poke at Washington as
it moves to enforce UN as well as its own sanctions against
the isolated regime for its May 25 nuclear test.
Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of
Staff, warned they were "very destabilising, potentially."
But Vice President Joe Biden indicated the US would not be
baited by attacks on the day Americans celebrated
independence.
On ABC, he described the flurry of rockets as
"attention-seeking behaviour."
He added: "I don't want to give the attention." UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he is concerned about the
missile tests, which defied Security Council resolutions. He
told reporters Sunday that North Korea's communist regime has
closed all doors to communication and dialogue.
China's Deputy Foreign Minister He Yafei told journalists in
Rome, ahead of this week's G-8 summit, his country is
supporting UN Security Council actions.
"The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution to take
action" against North Korea "while leaving room for
diplomatic relations," He said. "China will support that
resolution. We believe that the six-party talks is the right
path."
"We will encourage Japan to use its influence to start
talking about a peaceful solution," He said at a briefing
ahead of this week's G-8 summit in Italy.
Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, whose government assumed
the rotating European Union presidency on July 1, also
condemned the launches, calling the move "a conscious
political provocation." North and South Korea, which fought a
1950-53 war, still face off across the world's most heavily
fortified border.
The United States, South Korea's key ally, has 28,500 troops
stationed in the country as a deterrent.
