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WASHINGTON — South Korea's chief nuclear negotiator warned on Friday that any North Korean rocket launch would violate a U.N. resolution passed in the wake of a 2006 North Korean nuclear test.
Wi Sung-lac's comments came amid meetings at the State Department with his U.S. and Japanese counterparts meant to coordinate a response to North Korea's plan to launch what the United States believes will be a cover for a long-range missile test between April 4-8.
The launch preparations have Northeast Asia on edge. A rocket launch would be an early test for the new Obama administration as it pushes a reluctant North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons and stop threatening its neighbors.
Wi and Japanese envoy Akitaka Saiki held separate meetings with President Barack Obama's new chief representative on North Korea, Stephen Bosworth, and with Sung Kim, who handles day-to-day dealings with the North. A group dinner was also planned.
The envoys represent three of the six nations at the North Korean nuclear disarmament talks. Those negotiations are stalled amid the North's rocket launch preparations and Pyongyang's refusal to agree to a process to verify its nuclear programs.
The envoys focused on possible ways to resume the stalled talks, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency.
"We've discussed ways to deal with (the rocket issue) at the U.N. Security Council, resume six-party talks and so on," Wi told Yonhap after the two-hour meeting.
Wi would not comment when asked if South Korea agreed with Japan's preparations to shoot down any dangerous objects that fall its way from a rocket launch. He also would not predict what action the U.N. Security Council might take in response.
But he said any launch would be a clear violation of U.N. restrictions, regardless of what is mounted on the rocket.
North Korea has said it will send a communications satellite into orbit as part of a peaceful bid to develop its space program.
Saiki did not speak to reporters before or after his meetings at the State Department.
Japan took the rare step Friday of ordering missile-equipped battleships and missile interceptors to protect Japan should the North Korean rocket launch go awry. Tokyo urged calm, however, and said the likelihood of rocket debris falling on the country was low.
North Korea has warned that any attack on its satellite could be an act of war.
