(TotalConservative.com) – Japan, China, and South Korea had a three-way international summit to discuss N. Korea’s Pyongyang nuclear weapons program, including its use of spy satellites on Monday, May 27. Pyongyang’s representatives declared its intention to launch more spy satellites over the coming months, for defensive purposes and decried the talks as violations of its sovereign rights.
A statement signed by all three nations affirmed their endorsement of regional security and peaceful stability. The trilateral meeting was the ninth such gathering of the nations to discuss regional issues.
North Korea has been staunchly pursuing nuclear weapons for decades, and it is a regular area of concern for the U.S. and allies in the region like South Korea and Japan. China has traditionally voted with the international community in its attempts to reign in North Korea’s nuclear weapons development, but in recent years has voted to block enhancing sanctions.
North Korea issued comments on Monday saying that the talks “seriously violated” its sovereignty and called discussions of denuclearization “mockery” and “trickery.” A spokesman for the North’s Foreign Ministry also blamed Seoul for having a military relationship with “hegemonic forces outside the region,” a reference to the U.S.
The Korean War technically ended in 1953, but the two sides never officially ended the conflict.
North Korea shot off another ICBM the same day as the meeting, prompting Japan to temporarily declare a state of emergency for Okinawa. The warning was pulled after thirty minutes when the missile crashed into the sea. The North has repeatedly shot missiles of varying capability; some are designed to carry a nuclear payload.
North Korea also announced its intention to launch another spy satellite into orbit, saying it plans to launch three more before the end of the year. The previous November launch technically violated U.N. sanctions as the technology to put satellites in orbit is very similar to that which can transport nuclear weapons overseas.
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