Today, Saturday, April 29, North Korea conducted another, the fourth since the beginning of March 2017, the test of its ballistic medium-range missiles. But this time repeated the outcome of the last test: within a few minutes after launch the rocket exploded in the air. The test took place on the territory to the North of the capital of DPRK – Pyongyang.
According to South Korean military forces, before crashing, the missile could «take» height of 71 km Japan believes that the height was just below 50 km. It happened after midnight, presumably early in the morning local time in the province’s toll.
Taking a decision on the rocket launch, the North Korean government turned a blind eye to the prohibition of these activities from the UN, as well as numerous warnings of the United States about two weeks ago, said in the person of its Vice-President and Michael Penny, “the era of strategic patience” between the White house and Pyongyang ended.
A few hours before the launch, on Friday, Secretary of State, USA Rex Tillerson presided over the meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss North Korea’s missile and nuclear programs. At the same time representatives of Pyongyang refused to attend the meeting.
Tillerson insisted on tougher sanctions for countries involved in trade with the DPRK, including China, which is the main trading partner of North Korea.
And despite the White house’s stated intention to settle the conflict peacefully, Rex Tillerson stressed that “diplomatic and financial leverage [the us] government will be accompanied by a commitment to counter the aggression of North Korea military action, if necessary”.
The US President Donald trump, upon learning of the test, were quick to share their opinion about the situation with followers at Twitter.
North Korea disrespected the wishes of China & its highly respected President when it launched, though unsuccessfully, a missile today. Bad!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 28, 2017
«North Korea has ignored the wishes of China and its esteemed President, today, when it launched a rocket, though to no avail. Bad!».
In turn, China is taking a relatively neutral stance and considers that the decision of the North Korean issue cannot be left only on his shoulders.
The Ministry of foreign Affairs of China invites parties to compromise: Washington and Seoul should end its military exercises near North Korea, that Pyongyang will respond by suspending its missile and nuclear tests. But this proposal was not encouraged by neither the United States nor South Korea.
After launching the rocket, North Korea’s official news information Agency of the government of the people’s Republic of China, Xinhua News Agency, said Beijing’s stance: “If [the U.S. and North Korea]will not go to the necessary concessions, not only both countries but also the entire region and the whole world will eventually pay a high price for a possible confrontation.”
