1. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea(DPRK) launched ballistic missile on April 29, 2017, which is its third such action this month alone. The Government of Republic of Korea(ROK) condemns in the strongest terms this provocative action by the DPRK, as it clearly violates relevant UN Security Council resolutions and constitutes a serious threat to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and the international community.

2. This provocative action took place only a few hours after the UN Security Council, in its first-ever ministerial meeting on DPRK denuclearization on April 28, strongly condemned such repeated provocative actions by the DPRK and warned that it will not tolerate DPRK’s defiance of the authority of the Council. It demonstrates once again the regime’s belligerence and recklessness of categorically disobeying the international community’s resolve to achieve the denuclearization of the DPRK. The ROK Government solemnly warns if the regime refuses to denuclearize, while continuously playing with fire against the entire world, it will only face rigorous punitive measures including those of the UN Security Council.

3. Furthermore, the ROK Government will accelerate its efforts to enhance the ROK-US capabilities for extended deterrence, remaining steadfast in safeguarding the lives of its people and the security of the nation based on the strong ROK-US combined defense posture. /end/


* unofficial translation