Blinken reaffirms U.S. commitment to defense of S. Korea in talk with S. Korean counterpart

By Byun Duk-kun

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned North Korea's latest missile provocation, urging the international community to hold the country accountable, a state department spokesperson said Wednesday.

The condemnation came in a call with South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin, shortly after North Korea launched a barrage of missiles in its latest military provocation, according to department press secretary Ned Price.

"The two ministers jointly condemned and expressed deep concern about the DPRK's escalatory launches, including one that, as I mentioned before, recklessly and dangerously landed near the ROK coastline," Price told a daily press briefing, referring to North and South Korea by their official names, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea, respectively.

"The secretary took advantage of that conversation to reaffirm for his counterpart, Foreign Minister Park, the ironclad commitment to the ROK's security and safety, and he stressed the need for the international community to unite in holding the DPRK accountable for its continued provocations," he added.

North Korea fired more than 20 missiles and 100 artillery shells on Wednesday (Seoul time), with one of its missiles landing in waters south of the de facto inter-Korean maritime border, known as the Northern Limit Line (NLL).

It marked the first time since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War that North Korea fired a missile south of the NLL.

"We condemn the DPRK's ballistic missile launches and it's reckless decision to fire a missile below the de facto maritime boundary," Price said.

He said the top U.S. diplomat will have an opportunity to engage with his South Korean counterpart in person when he accompanies President Joe Biden on his trip to Indonesia for the Group of 20 summit later this month.

Price also highlighted the possibility of additional provocations from North Korea, noting the country appears to be in what he called a "period of provocation."

"This is a period that has gone on for a number of months now," he said. "It remains the case that we are concerned about potential for further provocations, including and up to a seventh nuclear test."

"We have spoken publicly of this for some time now, primarily to make clear to the DPRK that should it go forward with seventh nuclear test, there would be additional costs and consequences," he added.

U.S. officials, including Price, have said Pyongyang may be prepared to conduct a nuclear test "at any time."

North Korea conducted its sixth and last nuclear test in September 2017.

bdk@yna.co.kr
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