Diplomatic Solution Sought For "Routine Military Exercises"

Despite mounting diplomatic pressure to end its missile test-firing program, on Thursday the communist government of North Korea repeated its declaration that it has a sovereign right to continue those tests... and that it plans to do just that.

That news comes as South Korean media reported Thursday that the country's hostile neighbor to the north has more missiles on its pads, and is ready to fire them at any time.

The Washington Post reports that in a statement released by the country's official KCNA news service -- attributed to the North Korean foreign ministry -- Pyongyang acknowledged it had tested a total of seven missiles on July 4... including one Taepodong-2 ICBM. North Korea called the tests "routine military exercises" testing the country's "capacity for self-defense."

The regime of ruler Kim Jong Il added it "will have no option but to take stronger physical actions of other forms, should any other country dare take issue with the exercises and put pressure upon it."

That warning came as diplomats in the US and Japan worked to gain international backing for a UN Security Council resolution imposing harsh economic sanctions if North Korea doesn't dismantle its nuclear weapons program.

As Aero-News reported Thursday, that resolution has met resistance from North Korean allies China and Russia. At a White House appearance with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper Thursday, however, President Bush tried to cast a positive light on thise differences.

"You know, diplomacy takes a while, particularly when you're dealing with a variety of partners, and so we're spending time diplomatically, making sure that voice is unified," the president said. "Let's send a common message: You won't be rewarded for ignoring the rest of the world."

FMI: www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/dprk/index.html