[USFK Forums' N. Korean envoy warns of 'physical response' to Japanese sanctions

[C. Y. Lee]

Uploaded by C. Y. Lee on Monday, February 20, 2006

N. Korean envoy warns of 'physical response' to Japanese sanctions

Sunday February 19, 5:49 PM

(Kyodo) _ North Korea's envoy for normalization talks with Japan said in bilateral discussions earlier this month that his country will counter with a "strong physical response" in the event that Tokyo imposes economic sanctions against it, negotiation sources said Sunday.

North Korean Ambassador Song Il Ho gave the warning to his Japanese counterpart Koichi Haraguchi during informal contacts in the course of the Feb. 4-8 meetings between the two countries' delegations in Beijing, the sources said.

A Japanese delegation source described Song's remarks as an "outright threat that it would lift its freeze on launching ballistic missiles."

North Korea has in the past issued statements saying it would consider the imposition of economic sanctions as a declaration of war against it and would immediately respond physically, but Japan is concerned that similar remarks were made in high-level bilateral governmental talks.

Tokyo plans to study North Korea's intentions carefully as the comments could be in violation of the 2002 Pyongyang Declaration, in which the North expressed its intention to "maintain the moratorium on missile launching in and after 2003."

Calls are mounting in Japan to impose economic sanctions on North Korea as a measure to pressure it into meeting Japan's demands over the abductions of Japanese nationals by North Korean agents.

Japan is demanding that North Korea return any abductees still in the country, provide concrete evidence about the fates of missing abductees and hand over the agents responsible for the abductions.

Song made the "physical response" remarks after Haraguchi mentioned the three demands while reiterating Japan's basic position on the abduction issue and said the calls in Japan for economic sanctions will certainly become stronger if there were no specific developments, the sources said.

North Korean negotiators also suggested during bilateral security talks focusing on the country's nuclear and missile programs that it might lift the moratorium on missile launching, they said.

North Korea has developed and test-fired Rodong ballistic missiles, which can reach most parts of Japan, and Taepodong missiles, which have a longer range than the Rodong missiles.

The Beijing talks, held for the first time under a new three-track format, covered three key areas -- the abduction issue, specifics linked to the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and North Korea, and Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs.

(END)

[mike]

North Korea's envoy for normalization talks with Japan said in bilateral discussions earlier this month that his country will counter with a "strong physical response" in the event that Tokyo imposes economic sanctions against it, negotiation sources said Sunday.

North Korean Ambassador Song Il Ho gave the warning to his Japanese counterpart Koichi Haraguchi during informal contacts in the course of the Feb. 4-8 meetings between the two countries' delegations in Beijing, the sources said.

A Japanese delegation source described Song's remarks as an "outright threat that it would lift its freeze on launching ballistic missiles."

Honestly, North Korean diplomats are like children. If they don't like something, they resort to threats. What is next? Falling on the floor and throwing a violent tantrum?

Japan, the U.S. and South Korea needs to play hard-ball with North Korea and not let up. It is time the country realizes this is not the Clinton administration and we are not going to give oil and food for absolutely nothing in return.