North Korea nuclear threat "means South cannot delay missile system," South Korean acting president says.

Record ID: 165421

  • Title: North Korea nuclear threat "means South cannot delay missile system," South Korean acting president says.
  • Date: 23rd January 2017
  • Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (JANUARY 23, 2017) (AGENCY POOL) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** SOUTH KOREAN PRIME MINISTER AND ACTING PRESIDENT HWANG KYO-AHN WALKING TOWARD PODIUM AND STANDING IN FRONT IT JOURNALISTS AT NEWS CONFERENCE HWANG BOWING (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREAN PRIME MINISTER AND ACTING PRESIDENT HWANG KYO-AHN SAYING: "(North Korea) has been expanding its nuclear capabilities and developing the technology to create nuclear weapons. They are also miniaturising nuclear weapons so that they can launch it far as well as repeating test-launching of its rockets. Now, it is an imminent threat." HWANG SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREAN PRIME MINISTER AND ACTING PRESIDENT HWANG KYO-AHN SAYING: "When it comes to North Korea's nuclear issues, now is not the time for dialogues. We should stop it (the North's nuclear development) and work with the international society so that North Korea would give up the nuclear development." JOURNALISTS TYPING ON THEIR LAPTOP (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREAN PRIME MINISTER AND ACTING PRESIDENT HWANG KYO-AHN SAYING: "The relationship between South Korea and China was not made in a day. We have engaged in diverse cooperation since our diplomatic ties in early 1990's even if it was very rough in the beginning." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS EXTERIOR OF SEOUL GOVERNMENT COMPLEX WHERE HWANG'S NEWS CONFERENCE WAS HELD FLAGS
  • Embargoed: 6th February 2017 03:36
  • Keywords: acting president Hwang Kyo-ahn North Korea missile threat THAAD china
  • Location: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
  • City: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA
  • Country: South Korea
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA00160AW9XH
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Acting South Korean President Hwang Kyo-ahn said on Monday (January 23) the deployment of a U.S. anti-missile defence system can not be delayed in the face of a growing North Korean nuclear missile threat and despite Chinese hostility to the move.
    South Korea and the United States say the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) system is designed to protect against North Korea's nuclear and ballistic capabilities.
    But China says THAAD's powerful radar could penetrate its own territory, leading to calls from some South Korean opposition leaders to delay or cancel its deployment.
    "(North Korea) has been expanding its nuclear capabilities and developing the technology to create nuclear weapons. They are also miniaturising nuclear weapons so that they can launch it far as well as repeating test-launching of its rockets. Now, it is an imminent threat," Hwang told reporters.
    "When it comes to North Korea's nuclear issues, now is not the time for dialogues. We should stop it (the North's nuclear development) and work with the international society so that North Korea would give up the nuclear development," Hwang added.
    North Korea has carried out a series of nuclear and missile tests in defiance of U.N sanctions. North and South are technically still at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.
    Asked about China's response to THAAD, Hwang said there were "some concerns" and that more time was needed to address these.
    "The relationship between South Korea and China was not made in a day. We have engaged in diverse cooperation since our diplomatic ties in early 1990's even if it was very rough in the beginning," Hwang said.
    South Korea's finance and trade ministers have said they suspect China is taking indirect, retaliatory action against THAAD, but have not addressed the issue outright.
    Hwang was speaking in place of President Park Geun-hye, who has been impeached by parliament amid an influence-peddling scandal and stripped of her powers as she awaits a court decision on her fate.
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