WASHINGTON (Reuters) – North Korea’s missile tests are profoundly destabilizing and dangerous, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday, adding that Pyongyang has not responded to any diplomatic overtures from Washington.
The Biden administration on Wednesday imposed its first sanctions https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/us-imposes-sanctions-north-koreans-russian-after-missile-tests-2022-01-12 over North Korea’s weapons programs following a series of North Korean missile launches, including two since last week.
Blinken said in an interview with MSNBC that the United States had made clear it does not have hostile intent toward North Korea and is willing to engage in talks without preconditions.
“Unfortunately, not only has there been no response to those overtures, but the response we’ve seen… has been renewed missile tests, something that is profoundly destabilizing, it’s dangerous and it contravenes a whole host of U.N. Security Council resolutions,” Blinken said.
“I think some of this is North Korea trying to get attention,” he said. “It’s done that in the past. They’ll probably continue to do that.”
The United States and its allies are focused on making sure they are protected and that there are repercussions for the North’s missile activity, Blinken added.
(Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Simon Lewis; Editing by Frances Kerry)
