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S.Korea, US vow 'stern' response to N.Korea missile launch
London (AFP) April 2, 2009 US President Barack Obama and South Korean counterpart Lee Myung-Bak on Thursday promised a firm and "stern" response to any North Korean rocket launch after a fresh fiery outburst from Pyongyang. Lee and Obama met on the sidelines of the G20 economic crisis summit in London, after North Korea raised the stakes in Northeast Asia by saying it would attack "major targets" in Japan if Tokyo tried to shoot down the rocket. "The presidents said the international community needs to take stern, unified action against North Korea if the North fires a long-range rocket," a South Korean official told AFP on condition of anonymity. Obama and Lee agreed to "closely cooperate" on the case, the official added. An Obama administration official said any launch would see the United States seek to "firmly" respond at the United Nations, adding "there is no daylight" between Seoul and Washington on the issue. Another official said "considerable" efforts had been made by other members of the six-party talks process to convince North Korea to step back from the brink of launching the rocket. The forum involves, China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, the United States and North Korea itself. North Korea's apparent plans to launch a satellite rocket have triggered an international security alert and rapidly raised tensions in northeast Asia. The North has begun fuelling its rocket in a sign it could launch as early as this weekend, CNN quoted a senior US military official as saying. US officials declined to discuss the state of North Korean preparations, citing a desire to avoid sensitive intelligence matters. Obama ignored a shouted question about the apparently impending rocket launch as he met Lee at the cavernous conference center in East London which is hosting the summit. The US president invited Lee to visit him for their first White House talks in Washington on June 16, an official said, adding that the president praised Lee for his restraint in dealing with North Korean "abuse". The two leaders also talked about the stalled US-South Korea free trade pact which Obama has argued is badly flawed and needs to be negotiated. Obama said there were difficulties with the pact on both sides, but said he was willing to work with Seoul on the agreement even if a resolution would take time, one of the US officials said. The US president lauded South Korea as "one of America's closest allies and greatest friends. "We are very interested in discussing the economic crisis which is at the top of the G20 meeting," the US president said before his talks with Lee, the latest in a string of get-to-know-you-talks with world leaders. "But obviously we also have a great range of issues to discuss, on defence, on peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, on the outstanding contributions that Korea has made with respect to the Afghanistan situation and their global role and global leadership on issues like climate change." The United States, Japan and South Korea say North Korea is using the supposed satellite launch as pretext for testing its intercontinental missile, the Taepodong-2. Obama also thanked South Korea for medical assistance it had provided in Afghanistan, and the US official said he was gratified at Seoul's response to his new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Earlier, North Korea's military threatened to attack "major targets" in Japan if Tokyo tries to shoot down the satellite it intends to launch as soon as this weekend. "If Japan recklessly 'intercepts' the DPRK's (North's) satellite for peaceful purposes, the KPA will mercilessly deal deadly blows not only at the already deployed intercepting means but at major targets," said a statement from the Korean People's Army (KPA). Share This Article With Planet Earth
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Atlantic Eye: Branded by North Korea
Melbourne (UPI) Mar 30, 2009 He sits on stage -- gaunt, pale and uncomfortable. With each question, he winces and curls his lip -- pained by the intense memories. Born in North Korea's No. 14 Kaechon Political Prison Camp, it was the only life Shin Dong-hyuk had known until his escape. At 24, he was branded -- and already long abused -- by North Korea's despicable political system. |
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