China, Pyongyang’s main ally, called on North Korea to suspend its nuclear and missile activities in exchange for the US and South Korea halting joint military exercises in South Korea.
UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council on Wednesday (Mar 8) met behind closed doors to discuss the next steps to address North Korea’s missile launches as a proposal from China to freeze Pyongyang’s military programme appeared to fall flat.
China, Pyongyang’s main ally, called on North Korea to suspend its nuclear and missile activities in exchange for the US and South Korea halting joint military exercises in South Korea.
Asked about the Chinese proposal, Britain, France and Japan said the onus was on North Korea to show that it was ready to change course and abandon its military and nuclear programmes.
« They launched four missiles, » said Japan’s Ambassador Koro Bessho ahead of the meeting. « We are not doing anything to provoke them and so we are in a very strong position to tell them that this is totally not acceptable. «
North Korea fired at least four missiles toward Japan on Monday, three of which splashed down in waters near Japan, saying they were tests for a possible strike on US bases on Japan.
