North Korea's Missiles Prompt
Japanese Military Expansion?

Brinkmanship draws bitter criticism around world, and UN resolution: Cold War not yet over in the region

At last, North Korea got what it deserved for a long time: World pressure to knock off its programs for development of weapons of mass destruction including missiles. North Korea's sinister move once again has exposed the Korean Peninsula to the danger of war with the United States and Japan talking about preemptive attacks on missile pads in the North as an option and showing to the world that the Cold War is not yet over in the region.
The UN Security Council on July 16 passed an unanimous resolution on North Korea to scrap its WMD development programs including those for nuclear bombs. Both Russia and China joined the United States and Japan to vote for the resolution, making it tough for North Korea to bear.
On the heels of the UN decision, the G8 Summit also issued a statement on North Korea to the same effect. Russian President Vladimir Putin was the official host of the important meeting as it was held in St. Petersburg, Russia and Chinese President Hu Jintao was also present at the meeting as an invited head of state.
What made North Korea the center of such a large barrage of world condemnation had been its test-firing of not one but seven missiles in the wee hours of July 5, sending shock waves around the world. The development particularly annoyed the United States and Japan because they issued warnings to North Korea not to launch the missiles on a number of occasions and the launching took place on July 4, the U.S. independence day and the country was enjoying one of its largest holidays. The U.S. learned from the intelligence evidences gathered by its military satellites that the rogue state was preparing to shoot off the missiles long before the event took place. The enraged U.S. President George W. Bush blasted North Korea that its act was provocative and detrimental to peace in Northeast Asia. There were outcries for military attacks on North Korea, but President Bush said he will opt for diplomacy to settle the issue, although he has other options in his interview with CNN's Larry King. Japan went berserk literally with major dailies plastering their front pages with the news. Cabinet spokesman Shinzo Abe criticized North Korea vehemently as if the missiles landed in Japan. Some Japanese leaders talked about launching a preemptive strike to wipe out the missile sites in the North. They said the action is well within its treaty that denounced war because it is part of defensive actions. North Korea fired three Scud missiles with the range of 300 km, three Rodong 2 missiles with the range of 500 km and a Daepodong 2 missile with the range of over 1,500 km, which the North said was aimed at somewhere near Hawaii Islands. But the long-range missile imploded about 42 seconds after take-off in a total failure, according to U.S. intelligence. Those missiles can hit any part of Japan and North Korea said the test-firing was a success.
The United States and Japan immediately called for U.N. Security Council meeting to deal with the resolution condemning the North Korean action. The draft submitted by Japan initially included article 7 of the U.N. Charter, which provides for military actions if the resolution fails to work. Both Russia and China were against the inclusion of article 7 with China openly saying that it will veto the resolution if the article is included. They finally approved the watered-down resolution without article 7, after reaching compromise with the U.S. and Japan.
South Korea, also, issued a statement on July 16 through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, supporting the resolution No.1695 aimed at North Korea's missile launching.
President Roh Moo-hyun, following the National Security Meeting on July 19, criticized the North Korean action as detrimental to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, raising tensions, not being help to any side, triggering arms competition. He also said overreaction creates unnecessary tension and confrontation and moves in that direction would not help solve the real problems.
North Korea, however, rejected the resolution immediately following the U.N. announcement. Its ambassador to U.N. Pak Gil-yon said his country will show to the world its military might and launch missiles undeterred by the U.N. action. North Korea said it will halt a number of joint events with the South including the inter-Korea family reunion and the construction of the Family Reunion Hall at Mt. Geumgang resort in North Korea in retaliation for the South's support of the U.N. resolution and the suspension of rice and fertilizer aid to the North since the missile launch. nw