Over-reaction to NKorea rocket could spark war

SKOREA: An influential think-tank has urged the world not to over-react to North Korea’s upcoming rocket launch, saying an “overblown” response could wreck nuclear disarmament talks and even risk a war.

The International Crisis Group (ICG), in a report seen Wednesday, said even a successful test-launch would only slightly heighten security risks.

An “overblown response would likely jeopardise” the six-party nuclear talks and strengthen hardliners in Pyongyang, it said.

Any use of missile defences could in the worst case “risk a war with potentially devastating damage to South Korea, Japan and the world economy,” the Brussels-based conflict resolution group said.

North Korea has announced it will launch a communications satellite some time between April 4-8.

The United States, South Korea and Japan say this is a pretext to test a long-range ballistic missile in violation of UN resolutions, and promise to report the launch to the Security Council.

But permanent council members China and Russia are unlikely to support any strong measures, the report noted. SEOUL, Wednesday,

AFP