President Moon Jae-in speaks during a visit to a COVID-19 diagnostic kit factory in Cheongju on Sunday. (Yonhap via The Korea Herald/Asia News Network)
SEOUL — South Korean President Moon Jae-in has said that North Korea’s launch of an “intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM)” on Sunday morning amounts to a “breach of UN Security Council resolutions” and a “challenge” to the international community’s efforts to ensure peace on the Korean peninsula.
In an emergency National Security Council meeting, Moon made the remarks as he called on Pyongyang to stop adding pressure and tension and return to the dialogue table, the presidential office said.
If the missile launched on Sunday is an IRBM, it can be understood that the North is now close to breaking the moratorium despite having shown intentions for dialogue and keeping the promise to halt intercontinental ballistic missile tests in recent years, Moon also added.
“President Moon also drew a parallel to 2017 when tension was heightened on the Korean Peninsula when the launch of an IRBM was followed by the launch of an ICBM,” the Blue House said.
Sunday’s launch marks the seventh round of weapons launched by Pyongyang within this year, just four days after the North fired what it said to be surface-to-surface tactical guided missiles on Thursday.
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