President Moon Jae-in speaks on North Korea’s latest launch of a long-range ballistic missile at an emergency meeting of the National Security Council at Cheong Wa Dae on Nov. 29.
By Jeon Han and Sohn JiAe
Photos = Cheong Wa Dae
North Korea launched another long-range ballistic missile at around 3:17 a.m. on Nov. 29. Assumed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the launch into the east sea originated from Pyongsong in Pyongannam-do Province.
Immediately following the North’s provocation, the South Korean government convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) at Cheong Wa Dae.
At the meeting, President Moon Jae-in strongly condemned Pyongyang, saying that, “As long as the regime doesn’t stop its provocative nuclear adventurism, there will never be peace on the Korean Peninsula.”
“The international community, as well as Korea and the U.S., can’t help but continue to apply strong sanctions and pressure as we’ve done in the past, until Pyongyang gives up its nuclear weapons and missiles programs,” he stressed.
“We urge the North to immediately stop its reckless provocations that will only lead to its isolation and downfall. We will never sit by and watch as the regime carries out a threat,” he added.
President Moon Jae-in convenes an emergency meeting of the National Security Council on Nov. 29 immediately following Pyongyang’s latest long-range ballistic missile launch.
“The government will join forces with the international community to implement resolute and effective measures against the North’s provocations. We will beef up our efforts to protect our people while responding to and getting rid of any future threats posed by the regime in an immediate manner,” President Moon said.
The president continued to call on the military to, “curb any provocations by the North based on the firm Korea-U.S. combined defense posture and stay on full alert against any possible provocation to stop it promptly.”
“We will do our utmost to strongly and firmly respond while thoroughly implementing the U.N. Security Council sanctions against the North,” he said.
The president concluded by saying that the government would, too, manage to not make the tense situation on the peninsula further worsen.
hanjeon@korea.kr
