Islamabad: Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Munir Akram has called for dialogue to de-escalate tensions in the Korean Peninsula.
In a statement during the Security Council briefing on non-proliferation, Akram said Pakistan supported the objective of denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula.
According to state-run media, Akram said provocations such as missile tests on the one hand, and coercive actions and threats on the other, must end.
He maintained that Pakistan opposes any further nuclear weapons testing in Korea or elsewhere.
Rising tensions
North Korea on Monday carried out a successful test launch of a new intermediate-range hypersonic missile to accelerate the development of nuclear and missile capabilities.
State-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Tuesday that the hypersonic missile was fired from the outskirts of Pyongyang on Monday.
It flew about 1,500km (932 miles) at 12 times the speed of sound, reaching an altitude of nearly 100km (62 miles) before descending to a “second peak” of 42.5km (26.4 miles) and manoeuvring to hit a target in waters off the country’s east coast.
New carbon fibre composite materials were used in the missile’s engine section, KCNA said, adding that it can “effectively penetrate any dense defence barrier and inflict a serious military blow on the opponent”.
According to Al Jazeera, Carbon fibre is lighter and stronger than other aerospace materials such as aluminium, but is more difficult to manufacture.
South Korea reacts
South Korea’s military said the KCNA report was most likely exaggerated, estimating the range the missile flew to be about 1,100km (683 miles) and saying no second peak was detected.
“Achieving a second peak would imply the North Korean missile was capable of changing course and maintaining altitude rather than directly descending on a ballistic trajectory,” Al Jazeera quoted South Korean military officials as saying.
