문 대통령, "현 상황에서 북한과 대화 불가능... 북 도발시 재기불능 만들 힘 있다"
Following the launch, South Korea's presidential office held an emergency meeting of the National Security Council.
There, President Moon Jae-in ruled out the possibility of a dialogue with North Korea... at least for the time being.
Our chief Blue House correspondent Moon Connyoung reports. Rage and fury... are the words from South Korean President Moon Jae-in as he took the dialogue card off the table at least for now... in the wake of North Korea's missile launch, the 15th of its kind this year alone.
(Korean)
"I strongly condemn North Korea. I'm enraged by its continued provocations that pose grave threat to peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and the international community."
The remarks came at an urgent meeting of the National Security Council Friday to discuss the North's latest provocation... just days after a new sanctions resolution was adopted by the UN Security Council to halt its accelerating nuclear and missile tests.
(Korean)
"Under such circumstance, dialogue with the North is impossible. The international community will further tighten sanctions and pressure on North Korea to leave no other option but to take the path to sincere dialogue."
As he called for his fifth National Security Council meeting since taking office in May, the South
Korean president who has advocated for greater engagement with North Korea also ordered his military to conduct a live-fire ballistic missile drill in response to the North's launch and instructed government officials to pursue "stern" measures to discourage Pyongyang from further provocations.
(Korean)
"President Moon immediately ordered the launch of Hyunmoo-2 ballistic missile off in a simulated pre-emptive strike and said this is the time to make all out efforts to ensure the UNSC resolution 2375 is thoroughly executed."
Ordering his officials to also analyze and prepare for new possible North Korean threats including electro-magnetic pulse and biochemical attacks... South Korea's commander-in-chief stated...
(Korean)
"In case North Korea carries out provocations against us or any of our allies, we have the capability to destroy it beyond recovery."
(STAND-UP)
"One more to note: the latest missile test comes just days before hundreds of world leaders, including South Korean President Moon Jae-in, U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, gather in New York for the UN General Assembly next week. And, with Pyongyang obviously unfazed by the UNSC's latest sanctions... a key observation point will be whether the global community will enact even tougher sanctions... which may include a complete cutoff of oil and other fuels into the North... mostly from China.
Moon Connyoung, Arirang News, the Blue House."
