Seoul Warns NK of ‘Satellite’ Launch

By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Yu Myung-hwan reiterated Wednesday his demand that North Korea refrain from conducting any missile-related activities, including the launch of a satellite.

On South Korea-EU ties, the minister expressed hope that mutual relations will be upgraded through a free trade agreement (FTA) that is being negotiated by the two sides.

``Even if the North launches a satellite, not a long-range missile, that still violates United Nations Resolution 1718,'' Yu said during a luncheon meeting hosted by the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Korea (EUCCK) at a Seoul hotel.

Yu stressed such activity will only heighten tensions in Northeast Asia and in the international community, as well as aggravate the one-and-off six-party process aimed at denuclearizing the North.

The U.N. resolution was adopted in 2006 after North Korea test-launched several missiles from its east coast toward Japan and later conducted a nuclear test. It calls on Pyongyang to refrain from engaging in any activities suspected of being missile launches.

U.S. and South Korean intelligence authorities have said North Korea is preparing to test-fire a Taepodong-2 ballistic missile capable of hitting U.S. soil with a light payload.

But the communist state has argued it is preparing to launch a satellite for a ``peaceful space program'' and said that it would take countermeasures to a possible satellite interception by the United States.

Yu expressed high hopes that the South Korea-EU ties will be expanded further through the conclusion of a free trade accord.

The government is seeking to sign an FTA with the 27-nation economic bloc at an early date to be put into effect from 2010. The EU is the country's second largest trading partner after China.

Seoul has held seven rounds of FTA negotiations with the EU since it signed an FTA with the United States in 2007, which has yet to be ratified by the South Korean and U.S. legislatures.

Those negotiations were unsuccessful, however, as both sides were reluctant to accept each other's demands on tariff reductions, rules of origin and auto-related technical standards, according to Seoul officials.

gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr