India has strongly condemned North Korea’s ballistic missile launch over Japan and said that these moves affect the peace and security of the region and beyond.
While addressing the United Nations Security Council, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj called for the full implementation of the relevant UNSC resolutions relating to DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea).
The 15-member council met on Wednesday after North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile on Tuesday that soared over Japan for the first time in five years and prompted a warning for residents there to take cover.
North Korea on Tuesday conducted its longest-ever weapons test, a nuclear-capable ballistic missile that flew over Japan, after which Tokyo urged residents to evacuate to shelters.
“India would also like to reiterate the importance of addressing the proliferation of nuclear and missile technologies related to DPRK in our region. These linkages have an adverse impact on peace and security in the region including India. We hence, reiterate our continued support for denuclearisation towards peace and security in the Korean peninsula,” Kamboj said.
She also reminded the council about the problems that the “global south” has to go through.
“It is, therefore, important to continue to make all efforts to maintain peace and security.
Ensuring peace and security in the Korean Peninsula is in our collective interest going forward we will continue to support dialogues and diplomacy as a means to resolve the issue in the Korean Peninsula,” India’s envoy added.
Earlier, US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield also condemned North Korea’s action and said “The DPRK (North Korea) has enjoyed blanket protection from two members of this council.”
According to Kyodo News, early Tuesday, the government issued an alert urging residents in Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido and the country’s northeastern prefecture of Aomori to stay inside buildings.
The White House said that both US President Joe Biden and Japanese Premier Fumio Kishida confirmed that they would continue to closely coordinate their immediate and longer-term response bilaterally, trilaterally with the Republic of Korea, and with the international community.
“They confirmed they would continue to closely coordinate their immediate and longer-term response bilaterally, trilaterally with the Republic of Korea, and with the international community. The leaders discussed the importance of immediate return and resolution of the cases of Japanese citizens abducted by the DPRK and resolved to continue every effort to limit the DPRK’s ability to support its unlawful ballistic missile and weapons of mass destruction programs,” the statement added.
Tuesday’s missile launch was the first such missile launch in years, prompting a warning for residents to take cover in northern Japan.
Last week, North Korea fired missiles in an apparent protest against joint naval drills involving the United States and South Korea. Under the Kim Jong-un regime, North Korea this year has tested a record number of missiles as it expands its weapons arsenal.