Nuclear envoys of S. Korea, U.S., Japan condemn N. Korea's ICBM test

SEOUL, March 24 (Yonhap) -- The top nuclear envoys of South Korea, the United States and Japan strongly denounced North Korea's firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Thursday and vowed close coordination for "stern responses," Seoul's foreign ministry said.

Noh Kyu-duk, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, talked bilaterally with his American counterpart Sung Kim by phone and then Japan's Takehiro Funakoshi, hours after the North's launch of the missile into the East Sea.

The officials pointed out that North Korea broke its self-imposed moratorium on ICBM testing, which they called "a clear violation" of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions.

"They agreed (the North's) latest launch poses serious threat not only to the Korean Peninsula but also to the international community and it requires stern responses," the ministry said. "They urged North Korea to immediately cease further destabilizing acts."

ejkim@yna.co.kr
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