The United States is “fully capable” of defending against any North Korean ballistic missile attack, the White House has said, adding that such threat or provocation coming from Pyongyang will only further isolate the authoritative regime.
“I can tell you that the United States is fully capable of defending against any North Korean ballistic missile attack,” the White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters at his daily news conference here yesterday.
“Our recent success in returning to testing of the upgraded version of the so-called GBI, or the CE2 missile, will keep us on a good trajectory to improve our defence capability against limited ballistic missile threats such as those from North Korea. But let’s be clear, we are fully capable of dealing with that threat,” he said in reply to a question.
As the unanimous resolution passed by the UN Security Council slapped additional sanctions on North Korea, it will now face new barriers to develop its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, Carney said.
“(UN Security Council) Resolution 2094 increases North Korea’s isolation and demonstrates to its leaders the increasing costs they pay for defying the international community,” the US official said.
“The international community stands united in its commitment to the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and in its demand that North Korea comply with its international obligations. The Security Council is also committed to take additional measures in the event of another nuclear test or launch,” Carney said.
Meanwhile, the State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters that the North Korean regime has regularly missed the opportunity to improve its relationship with the outside world.
“The United States is fully capable of defending against a DPRK (Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea) ballistic missile attack. Furthermore, we are continuing to upgrade our ballistic missile defence capabilities. We remain firmly committed to the defence of the Republic of Korea and Japan and the maintenance of regional peace and security,” she said.