MFA issues statement to strongly condemn nuclear test conducted by North Korea

Joining countries around the world in denouncing the nuclear test conducted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on 3 September 2017, Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) issued a statement on Sunday evening to strongly condemn DPRK’s highly provocative act.

On Sunday, DPRK or North Korea carried out its sixth nuclear test and the most powerful blast to date. The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said the hydrogen bomb test on Sunday morning, ordered by the country’s leader Kim Jong-un, was a “perfect success”. The news agency had earlier reported that North Korea has developed a more advanced nuclear weapon that has “great destructive power” and can be loaded onto an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

MFA’s statement wrote, “This provocative act severely threatens the peace and stability of the region and further raises tensions on the Korean Peninsula.  The DPRK’s latest belligerent actions, including its recent missile tests and two earlier nuclear tests last year, are clear violations of the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, and a blatant disregard of the grave concerns of the international community.  We strongly urge the DPRK to desist from such actions, and reiterate our long-standing call for the DPRK to abide by its international obligations and commitments.  Singapore intends to make its views known to the DPRK government through its Ambassador in Singapore.”

North Korea’s nuclear test has prompted United States, Japan, France, Britain and South Korea to request an emergency United Nations meeting on Monday to talk about the country’s weapon testing for the second time in a week.

US defense secretary James Mattis issued a statement stating that “any threat” against any US territory “or our allies will be met with a massive military response.”