G7 powers criticize failed North Korean satellite launch

Foreign ministers from the G7 group of rich democracies condemned North Korea’s failed bid to launch a spy satellite Thursday, arguing that it used banned ballistic missile technology.

In a joint statement Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the US and the EU said North Korea’s move “poses a grave threat to regional and international peace and stability.”

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North Korea’s second bid to put a sky satellite in orbit failed on Thursday, three months after a first crashed into the ocean, but still outraged nuclear-armed authoritarian states’ critics.

The satellite was to have been carried to orbit in a staged rocket that uses the same technology as ballistic missiles — which Pyongyang is forbidden from developing under UN resolutions.

“Despite the repeated calls from the international community, North Korea continues to intensify its escalatory actions through a record number of ballistic missile launches,” the ministers said.

This, they alleged, proves North Korea’s “determination to advance and diversify its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities.”

“North Korea’s reckless action must be met with a swift, united, and robust international response, particularly by the United Nations Security Council,” they said.

Three G7 members — Britain, France and the United States — are permanent members of the UN Security Council, but two more, China and Russia, have been more sympathetic to North Korea.

“We deplore North Korea’s choice to divert its limited resources to fund its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs,” the ministers said.

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