S. Korea, Japan defense chiefs warn NK over missile provocation

Published : Mar 7, 2017 - 10:26 Updated : Mar 7, 2017 - 10:58

The defense chiefs of South Korea and Japan vowed Tuesday to ensure North Korea "pays the price" for its provocations, one day after it test-fired four ballistic missiles toward the East Sea, the defense ministry said.

South Korea's Defense Minister Han Min-koo and his counterpart Tomomi Inada held phone talks to discuss North Korea's latest missile launch, the ministry said.

South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo talks to his counterpart Tomomi Inada. (Yonhap)

They shared the view that North Korea's missile launch is a major threat to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the region, and vowed to closely cooperate to curb its military ambitions.

"The North's missile firing is a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions and it won't be tolerated (by the international community) at all," the Japanese defense ministry said, stressing the need for trilateral security partnership among Seoul, Tokyo and Washington.

Under UN resolutions, North Korea is barred from any use of ballistic missile technology.

Its state-run news agency said early Tuesday the country has conducted a missile launch exercise targeting US military bases in Japan.

On Monday, the North test-fired four ballistic missiles, and three of them landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone.

The test is seen as a response to the on-going joint military exercise between Seoul and Washington, which Pyongyang denounces as a war rehearsal against the North. (Yonhap)