North Korean leader is begging for war: Haley

North Korea is “begging for war” with abusive use of missiles and nuclear threats, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley has said, pushing for the “strongest possible measures” on Pyongyang following its sixth and most powerful nuclear test.

On Sunday, North Korea said it detonated a hydrogen bomb designed for a long-range missile and called its sixth and most powerful nuclear test a “perfect success”, sparking world condemnation and promises of tougher US sanctions.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un’s action cannot be seen as defensive. He wants to be acknowledged as a nuclear power. But being a nuclear power is not about using those terrible weapons to threaten others, she said.

“Nuclear powers understand their responsibilities. Kim Jong-Un shows no such understanding,” Haley told members of the UN Security Council during a meeting on North Korea.

The Indian-origin US ambassador to the UN said his abusive use of missiles, and his nuclear threats show that he is “begging for war".

“War is never something the US wants. We don’t want it now. But our country’s patience is not unlimited. We will defend our allies and our territory,” she said.

The idea that some have suggested of a so-called freeze-for-freeze is insulting, she said.

“When a rogue regime has a nuclear weapon and an ICBM (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile) pointed at you, you do not take steps to lower your guard. No one would do that. We certainly won’t,” she said, adding time has come to exhaust all diplomatic means to end this crisis.

“Only the strongest sanctions will enable us to resolve this problem through diplomacy. We have kicked the can down the road long enough. There is no more road left,” Haley said in her address.

Haley and her counterparts from Japan, France, the UK, and the South Korea requested the emergency meeting in response to North Korea’s latest nuclear test.

“To the members of the Security Council, I must say: enough is enough,” she said.

British Ambassador to the UN Matthew Rycroft said that North Korea has created a deeply dangerous and unstable situation.

“The UK will work with our partners on this Council and beyond to tackle the challenge,” he said.

Dialogue, he said, will always be the “end goal".

“But returning to dialogue without a serious sign of intent from Pyongyang would be a set-up to failure. North Korea must change course to allow a return to dialogue. Were they to do so, the opportunity exists to end this crisis. Until that moment, we must stay the course on sanctions, and continue, as the Secretary-General has called for, to present a united front,” Rycroft said.

Ambassador Koro Bessho of Japan said it was clear how belligerent and dangerous the North Korean actions were, posing a problem, not only for that country’s neighbours, but the entire international community.

The sixth nuclear test had exhibited a magnitude of explosion far greater than the previous one and had raised the threat to an unprecedented level.

In that context, he stressed the need for the Council to swiftly adopt a new resolution with further robust sanction measures Firmly supporting the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, the Chinese Ambassador Liu Jieyi strongly urged Pyongyang to comply with international measures.

The situation on the Peninsula had deteriorated, he said, stressing that China would never allow chaos or war to erupt.

Haley told the 15-membered body that US will be circulating a draft resolution soon, with the expectation to have it passed by Monday — September 11.

The South Korean Ambassador Cho Tae-yul said the Security Council must respond to this serious provocation with the adoption of a new resolution containing much tougher measures, corresponding to the magnitude and gravity of the test.

“Now is the time to take measures that are strong and robust enough to compel North Korea to seriously engage in dialogue. The new resolution must include not only additional measures to further block funds that could possibly flow into North Korea’s illegal WMD programme, but also truly biting and robust measures such as cutting off crude oil and oil product supplies,” he said.