North Korea's Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-kwan has warned that his country can launch more missiles, although its missile tests on Wednesday triggered worldwide condemnation, a news report said Sunday.
Kim reportedly made the remark during his meeting with Robert Scalapino, a professor emeritus at the University of California at Berkeley, in Pyongyang on Thursday, Japan's Asahi Shimbun said, quoting the American scholar now traveling in Beijing.
Scalapino, an expert on Korean affairs, visited Pyongyang from July 4 to 7 at the invitation of the North Korean government.
Kim's remark was made one day after North Korea test-fired seven missiles, including a long-range Taepodong-2 with the potential to hit the continental United States.
Also on Thursday, the North's Foreign Ministry released a statement that said its missile launches were part of military exercises, and the country would take strong actions if the world continued to apply pressure on it. In the statement, the North also said it would fire more missiles.
South Korean, U.S. and Japanese officials raised the possibility the North might launch another Taepodong-2 missile, saying the long-range missile fired last week was one of two North Korea moved to a launch site in its northeastern province. The officials, however, said the test is not imminent.
North Korea had demanded the U.S. hold bilateral talks before firing the missiles, but Washington rejected the offer, saying the issue should be resolved in the framework of the six-party talks on the North's nuclear arms.
TOKYO, July 9 (Yonhap News)
N.K. nuclear negotiator suggests more missile launches: report |
