North Korea fired more missiles into the Sea of Japan this afternoon in a further gesture of defiance a day after its underground nuclear test provoked outraged protests across the world.
Members of the United Nations Security Council worked overnight on a resolution which will reveal the degree of unity among its permanent members.
On Monday, even North Korea’s historical ally, China, joined in unanimous condemnation of the test, but it remains to be seen whether the unusual consensus will extend to concrete steps such as sanctions.
South Korean media reported this afternoon that the North test launched two short range missiles, after firing three more yesterday. Unlike the long range rocket which was fired deep into the Pacific in early April, the testing of such smaller weapons does not violate international law or UN resolutions.
But in the circumstances, it represent s a further provocation to North Korea’s international critics – as well as a reminder of the country’s considerable conventional defensive capabilities for any government which might be contemplating a military solution to the North Korean nuclear problem.
Barack Obama spoke overnight to South Korea’s president, Lee Myung Bak, and to the Japanese prime minister, Taro Aso.
The South Korean government responded to Monday’s test by announcing that it would join the Proliferation Security Initiative, a multi-national effort by 94 countries to prevent the export of weapons of mass destruction and missile parts by countries such as North Korea by means of coordinated naval and air force patrols.
There was no immediate reaction from North Korea which threatened in the past to treat such a step as an act of war. But the state controlled Workers Newspaper claimed that the US was planning the deployment of units of F22 fighters and interceptor missiles against it, and warned of a "sinister and dangerous scenario of the US to put the Asia-Pacific region under its military control."
It added: "The present US administration is talking about what it called a ‘change’ and ‘bilateral dialogue’ but it is, in actuality, pursuing the same reckless policy as followed by the former Bush administration to stifle the DPRK by force of arms … The US would be well advised to halt at once its dangerous military moves against the DPRK if it wants to escape the lot of a tiger moth, bearing deep in mind that any attempt to make a pre-emptive attack on the DPRK is little short of inviting a disaster".