During the evening of Friday 28 July, the European Union again called on North Korea to comply with its international obligations, following Pyongyang's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The ICBM is reported to have travelled just under 1,000 km before landing in the Sea of Japan.
"As the European Union, we expect the DPRK to comply without delay, fully and unconditionally, with its obligations under all relevant UN Security Council resolutions", the spokesperson for the European External Action Service stated in a press release, adding that the EU expects North Korea "to refrain from any further provocative action that could increase regional and global tensions".
The EEAS spokesperson also reiterated the EU's call for Pyongyang to "engage in a credible and meaningful dialogue aimed at pursuing the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, through peaceful means". "The European Union is ready to support such a process in consultation with key partners", the spokesperson added.
According to the spokesperson, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini will address the issue of North Korea "in the coming days" with the foreign affairs ministers of North Korea and other international partners, notably on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial meeting in Manila, the Philippines, on 6 and 7 August.
While the spokesperson did not speak about possible additional sanctions against Pyongyang, the foreign affairs ministers threatened North Korea with new sanctions on 17 July, due to its multiple violations of UN Security Council resolutions (see EUROPE 11831). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)