Leaders of Japan, S Korea Agree to Seek Tougher UNSC Sanctions Against N Korea

30.08.2017 08:41

Leaders of Japan, S Korea Agree to Seek Tougher UNSC Sanctions Against N Korea

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in had a telephone conversation on Wednesday, during which the two leaders agreed to work toward getting the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to impose stricter restrictive measures against North Korea in light of Pyongyang’s most recent missile launch, local media reported.

On Tuesday, North Korea test fired an intermediate-range Hwasong-12 ballistic missile. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said that the missile flew over Japan's northern island of Hokkaido before falling into the Pacific Ocean 1,180 kilometers (733 miles) east of the island.

According to the NHK broadcaster, Abe, during his 20-minute call with Moon, said that the missile launch had been an unprecedented and serious threat, adding that it clearly showed that "North Korea was not ready for dialogue."

According to the broadcaster, Abe and Moon pledged to coordinate their efforts to seek the adoption of a UNSC resolution that would impose even tougher sanctions on North Korea. The two leaders also agreed to hold a meeting on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum, which will be held in the Russian city of Vladivostok on September 6-7.

On Tuesday, the UNSC held a closed session on North Korea, followed by an open meeting. Council President and Egyptian Ambassador to the United Nations Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta read a presidential statement, adopted as a result of the consultations, which condemned the missile launches and called for immediate action to ease tensions both on the Korean Peninsula and globally.