Singapore 'strongly condemns' North Korea's latest missile tests
SINGAPORE: Singapore on Tuesday (Feb 21) strongly condemned North Korea’s recent missile tests, calling it a “dangerous provocation” and a blatant violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
North Korea conducted two missile tests in the past few days, including one on Saturday that appeared to have been an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
“Like the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s previous missile tests, this is a dangerous provocation which will exacerbate tensions on the Korean peninsula and jeopardise stability in the region,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement.
“It is also a blatant violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions.”
Singapore also reiterated its longstanding call for North Korea to “cease all provocations immediately and abide by its international obligations and commitments”.
North Korea’s missile tests comes after it threatened an "unprecedentedly persistent, strong" response ahead of annual joint military exercises by South Korea and the United States.
The ICBM launch was condemned by the US, South Korea and Japan, as well as the G7 group of nations and the European Union.
State news agency KCNA reported that the first drill “was suddenly organised without previous notice", and that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had personally signed off on the test.
It added that the test was "clear proof" of the reliability of North Korea's "powerful physical nuclear deterrent".
South Korea's National Security Council convened a meeting following Saturday’s launch, and agreed to increase cooperation on security with Washington and Japan.