Ruling party voices 'deep regret' over N. Korea's missile provocations

SEOUL, March 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's ruling party on Friday expressed "deep regret" over North Korea's recent back-to-back launches of short-range missiles, calling on the country to come back to the negotiating table.

"(We) express deep regret over the North Korean provocations that took place as the U.S. Biden administration is reviewing its North Korea policy," Rep. Kim Tae-nyeon, acting chairman of the Democratic Party (DP), said during a party meeting held in the southern port city of Busan.

"North Korea should stop its military activities that escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula and instead come forward for dialogue for peace," Kim noted.

The acting party leader also urged the Seoul government to "respond exhaustively" to the latest provocations, based on solid cooperation with Washington and other related nations.

The DP's reaction came hours after Pyongyang confirmed earlier in the day that what it test-fired were ballistic missiles.

On Thursday, South Korea's military said the North fired what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea from the country's eastern town of Hamju early in the morning.

It was the first ballistic missile firing by the North since the launch of the new Joe Biden administration in Washington and another violation of relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions.

The latest test launch followed the North's firing of two cruise missiles off the west coast on Sunday.

Rep. Lee Nak-yon, a former DP chief who is currently co-chairing the party's election committee for the upcoming April 7 by-elections, also urged the North to "refrain from provocations," prodding the U.S. side to "speed up for dialogue with the North."

pbr@yna.co.kr
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