'Self defence' message from North Korea after US exercises
North Korea has said it is preparing “strong measures for self-defence” after the US wrapped up a massive Pacific military exercise.
Five days of exercises – the largest in the Pacific since the Vietnam War - brought together three aircraft carriers along with 22,000 troops and 280 warplanes off the island of Guam in the western Pacific.
The drill follows international concerns this week over a possible long-range rocket launch by North Korea.
Air Force Lt Gen David Deptula said the exercise “was a demonstration of the US Pacific Command’s ability to quickly amass a force... and project peace, power and presence in the region.”
The US will launch a month-long military exercise with seven other countries, including Britain, off Hawaii next week. Australia, Canada, Chile, Peru, Japan and South Korea will also take part.
North Korea claimed the drills were a rehearsal for invasion, saying in a statement last night that it would “react against the reckless provocations of the aggressors with strong measures for self-defence.”
In Tokyo, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso and US Ambassador Thomas Schieffer signed documents about cooperation on ballistic missile defence development, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Japan’s Defence Agency also said a high-resolution radar that can detect a ballistic missile has been deployed at a base in northern Japan.
North Korea has made recent moves that would enable it to launch a long-range missile, US and Asian officials have said.
Intelligence reports say fuel tanks have been seen around a missile at the North’s launch site on its northeastern coast, but officials say it’s difficult to determine if the rocket is actually being fuelled by looking at satellite photos.
The North has said it is willing to talk to Washington about its missile concerns, repeating its long-held desire for direct meetings with the US.
Washington, however, has refused, and insists it will only meet the North amid six-nation talks aimed at ridding Pyongyang of its nuclear weapons programme.
South Korean Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok said yesterday that “it seems clear that even if North Korea fires a missile, the US would not make a compromise.”
Mr Lee said a “series of activities by North Korea” were consistent with a missile launch and pressed the North to return to six-nation talks on its nuclear programme.
“North Korea should immediately halt moves of its missile launch,” Mr Lee said.
South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon is seeking to visit China next week to discuss the missile issue, but plans are not yet confirmed, his ministry said.
US officials have warned North Korea that a missile launch could have serious repercussions.
“We still hope that they recognise that launching that missile would only isolate them further, and that they will make the right decision and not launch the missile,” US Ambassador to South Korea Alexander Vershbow said in Seoul.
The missile concerns have prompted China and Russia – Pyongyang’s last two major allies – also to warn the North against a launch.
Moscow summoned the North Korean ambassador to the Foreign Ministry on Thursday to express its concern. China also urged the North on Thursday to return to the international nuclear talks, which Pyongyang has boycotted since November in anger at US restrictions on its financial dealings.
On Thursday, the White House said it was committed to seeking a diplomatic solution to the problem.
The US military on Thursday said it had successfully tested a missile defence system against a medium-range missile in a previously scheduled exercise.
Hadley said the US missile defence system had “limited operational capability” to protect against weapons such as the long-range missile the North is possibly moving to launch.
