N. Korea: We are no longer bound by nuclear test moratorium

Published time: April 17, 2012 19:06
Edited time: April 18, 2012 00:00
The Unha-3 (Milky Way 3) rocket is pictured on a launch pad at the West Sea Satellite Launch Site during a guided media tour by North Korean authorities in the northwest of Pyongyang April 8, 2012 (Reuters/Bobby Yip)

Pyongyang says it is “no longer bound to” its deal with the US, which provided a nuclear and missile test moratorium in return for food aid. The move comes in retaliation to the UN’s criticism of North Korea's failed satellite launch.

The UN Security Council (UNSC) condemned North Korea for last Friday’s rocket launch, which was widely regarded as a cover up to test a long range nuclear missile. On Tuesday, Pyongyang shot back at the UNSC for violating the country’s right to put satellites into orbit.

"We resolutely and totally reject the unreasonable behavior of the UNSC to violate (our) legitimate right to launch satellites,"  Pyongyang said in a statement delivered by the official KCNA news agency.

Washington pulled strings in the Council in order to rob Pyongyang of its right to conduct space research, the statement said.

"As the US violated the February 29 [North Korea-US] agreement through its undisguised hostile acts, we will no longer be bound to it," the statement said as quoted by Reuters.

Now, North Korea, free from the agreement, has "become able to take necessary retaliatory measures." The statement did not elaborate on exact measures. 

Pyongyang agreed to give up all nuclear tests and rocket launches as well as uranium enrichment this past February. In response, Washington agreed to send some 240,000 tons in food aid to a country suffering from famine.

The same pact provided that International Atomic Energy Agency monitors, the UN’s nuclear watchdog, would be granted access to the nuclear scientific research center in Yongbyon. On April 16, the North went back on this part of the agreement.

Comments (23)

lou sweet 28.04.2012 13:55

just waiting for the outcome of the u s - n korea war.

0

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Brainlessfollowers 18.04.2012 14:33

The Monk wrote in #4
I guess I am a brainless zombie. N.Korea could ask Russia or China to launch a weather satellite and could have saved the $1 billion dollars it lost and used it to feed it's people that they keep going hat in hand to the West for. I guess I am a brainless zombie that sees the rocket program as nothing more than an action by a little child wanting to get some recognition on the world stage. N. Korea is preparing their little temper tantrum that they always throw when things don't go their way. I think the world should call a time out and send Kim into a corner until he stops stamping his feet.

Unl ess your Russian...your a brainless zombie....well to normal people you make complete sense...but since your on nothing but a "hate" and jealousy website...your "brainless"....Russi ans want power...but never had it...they dont know what it calls for...  first you have to call people "zionists" to get any thumbs up..lol...if you say it 15 times...people will love you!!

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The Beak 18.04.2012 13:49

The only available deterrent to insulate and secure any state from invasion is possession of Nuclear weapons. It will be a deterent until someone becomes under serious threat and eventually be used. However, note the first time the Atom bomb was used by the United States against Japan was to penetrate Asia economically. The first time the Europeans encounter an Asian Naval power was in 1904 when the Japanese whipped the Russians. So most nations will now develop the Nuke bomb. This bomb was given by the Brits and the American State of Isreal for the sole purpose to create a Greater Super State labeled Isreal. So why not other States must not have it in the light of preceding events as Iraq and Libya invasion and plunder 

+5

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