U.N. Security Council calls emergency meeting after latest N. Korea nuke test
After North Korea claimed it set off a hydrogen bomb Sunday in its most powerful nuclear test, President Trump's United Nations envoy, Nikki Haley, announced the United Nations Security Council would meet in an open emergency session Monday, at the request of the U.S., South Korea, Japan, France and Britain.
With the testing of a hydrogen bomb, North Korea provoked the international community and defied the toughest set of sanctions ever imposed by the U.N.
The international community is unanimous in condemning the nuclear and ballistic missile tests, but any further measures have been opposed by China and Russia, both of which have suggested talks with the government of Kim Jong Un.
Both countries have suggested a policy known as "freeze for freeze," in which North Korea would declare a moratorium on nuclear and missile tests while the U.S. and South Korea would refrain from large-scale military exercises.
U.N. sanctions imposed on North Korea and diplomatic isolation have failed, thus far, to slow the rapid pace of advancement of Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program, diplomats say, and the most recent round of sanctions will take time to pressure the government of Kim, if they are enforced.
In a statement issued by his spokesman, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres condemned North Korea's nuclear test Sunday as "yet another serious breach of [the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's] international obligations" and as "profoundly destabilizing for regional security." He also called on the government of Kim to cease the nuclear weapon and ballistic missile tests.
The White House is threatening further action and Sunday, Defense Secretary James Mattis said that the Trump administration is not looking for the "annihilation" of any country, but warned North Korea that the U.S. has "many" military options to deal with North Korea.
"We made clear that we have the ability to defend ourselves and our allies, South Korea and Japan, from any attacks, and our commitments among the allies are ironclad," he said.