US, Canada say they will modernize missile responses as N. Korea launches ICBM

After North Korea’s successful test launch of Hwasong-17, a ‘monster intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM),’ the international community is adding more pressure on the North. The U.N. Security Council will have an open meeting on Monday (local time) to discuss how to respond to North Korean provocations. Foreign ministers of G7 released a joint statement on Sunday (local time) and raised their voices, calling for further significant measures to be taken. Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs of North Korea Choe Son Hui said on Monday that she is keeping an eye on the movement of the U.S. and the Security Council with a clear direction for a response, which implies more potential provocations.

“We condemn in the strongest terms the brazen launch of another ICBM conducted on November 18, 2022 by the DPRK,” said G7’s foreign ministers in a joint statement on Sunday. “The DPRK’s actions demand a united and robust response by the international community, including the need for further significant measures to be taken by the U.N. Security Council (UNSC).” ‘Further significant measures’ are interpreted to mean additional stronger sanctions by the Security Council. “We call on all states to fully and effectively implement all UNSC measures and sanctions against the DPRK and address the risk of weapons of mass destruction proliferation from the DPRK as an urgent priority,” the foreign ministers added.

The U.N. Security Council will hold an open meeting at midnight on Tuesday Korea Time to discuss the non-proliferation issue of North Korea. The statement made by G7 foreign ministers released the day before is believed to put pressure on China and Russia, which are friendly with the North. The Security Council voted on the resolution for additional sanctions against North Korea in response to the country’s ICBM test launch in May. Still, it did not go through as China and Russia exercised their veto right.

North Korea strongly opposed the international community’s response. The North Korean state agency Korean Central News Agency argued in an interview with Choe Sun Hui that ICBM test launches are inevitable and essential actions for self-defense in response to military cooperation between the U.S. and its followers against the North. Choi also voiced raw criticism, referring to Secretary General of the U.N. Antonio Guterres, who criticized the North’s ICBM launches as a “puppet of the U.S.”


Ji-Sun Choi aurinko@donga.com · Eun-Taek Lee nabi@donga.com