Antony Blinken says world needs to take N Korea's missile launches 'very seriously'

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday denounced North Korea’s recent series of new hypersonic missile launches, stating that the “international community needs to take [launches] very seriously.” Furthermore, he added that the United States envoy for North Korea was now in discussions with South Korea and Japan, and so, the US is “engaged in very active conversations with them on the way forward.” Blinken added, that North Korea's missile test-firing creates "greater prospects for instability and insecurity” on the Korean Peninsula and the globe. 

The United States supports the prospects of inter-Korean dialogue, inter-Korean work, said Blinken, according to the Department of State release. “We leave that as well to our South Korean allies as they look to see if there are ways to move forward,” he stressed. He suggested that the two regional allies, the US and South Korea were in talks to enact any measures “that can appropriately reduce the risks.” He added that the US was concerned about North Korea’s “repeated violations” of the United Nations Security Council resolutions.

Test firing missiles 'jeopardise regional security' says US 

Blinken told reporters during his trip to Pennsylvania for trade talks with EU counterparts, that Pyongyang's recent and the second test-firing of a new hypersonic weapon this week was unsettling for the world, and that the US has been in touch with regional partners to explore methods to engage towards North Korea’s denuclearization. In its straight second launch this week demonstrating ‘combat readiness’, nuclear-armed North Korea test-fired a new anti-aircraft missile with twin rudder controls, double impulse flight engine and other advanced new technologies, state’s official press Korean Central News Agency said on Friday. North Korea’s new missile launch was overseen by Pak Jong Chon, a member of the ruling Workers' Party's powerful politburo and Central Committee, and was not attended by the autocratic communist leader Kim Jong-Un, reports have confirmed. 

The US State Department in its earlier statement condemned the DPRK’s missile launches into the East Sea waters, stating that such ballistic tests jeopardise regional security and international ties, it called for the resumption of nuclear talks between the two Korean states. In a further revelation, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken-led department denied any possibility of US interference in the Korean conflict, saying that the US “remains committed to a diplomatic approach".North Korea, earlier this month, test-fired a new long-range cruise missile, ahead of its Tuesday launch of a hypersonic missile. It also fired at least two ballistic missiles into waters within Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). 

(Image: AP)