N Korea: Japan imposes sanctions

2006-07-05 10:31

Tokyo - North Korea's launch of six missiles into the Sea of Japan on Wednesday has triggered a storm of international reaction, including immediate sanctions imposed by Japan and an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in New York.

The only direct passenger ship between Japan and North Korea, the ferry Mangyongbong-92, was banned from landing in Japanese ports for six months.

The ship had been scheduled to harbour at Niigata port on Wednesday, but was forced to stay anchored off the Sea of Japan coast, south of Tokyo. At the port, people gathered to protest the North Korea's launch of the missiles.

Violation of agreement

Japan's chief cabinet secretary Shinzo Abe said at a press conference that the government plans to allow Japanese nationals and Korean residents of Japan aboard the ferry to disembark.

Abe criticised North Korea's actions as a violation of its agreement with Japan on a missile-launch moratorium, adding that Japan may also regulate fund remittances to North Korea depending on Pyongyang's future moves.

US 'strongly condemns' launches

North Korea's long-range Taepodong-2 rocket, believed to be capable of reaching the US West Coast, failed in mid-air within one minute of launch, according to the US government .

"The United States strongly condemns these missile launches and North Korea's unwillingness to heed calls for restraint from the international community," White House press secretary Tony Snow said in a statement.

The long-range missile was the third out of six tests carried out on Wednesday morning, the White House confirmed. The other tests were of Nedong and Skud medium and short-range missiles, all of which landed in the Sea of Japan.

Warnings

South Korea expressed "deep regret" over the launch. "The missile firings will further worsen inter-Korean relations, as well as North Korea's international isolation," said a government spokesperson.

The US, South Korea and Japan all had suspected North Korea was fuelling a Taepodong-2 missile, with an estimated range of more than 6 000km.

Countries in the region, as well as the US, had repeatedly warned North Korea against such a test launch, threatening serious repercussions. Japan and the US had threatened economic sanctions should the missile launch go ahead.

The United Nations Security Council was expected to meet on Wednesday morning in New York to discuss the international community's response to the missile tests. - Sapa-dpa

- News24