North Korea warns of weekly' tests

Tokyo: US Vice-president Mike Pence reiterated his country’s commitment to the security of Japan on Tuesday, as North Korea intensified concerns over its weapons programme with a vow to launch missile tests “every week”. The North, which is intent on developing a nuclear-tipped ballistic missile capable of reaching the mainland United States, defied international pressure Sunday with a test that failed immediately after launch. As fears grow that it may also be preparing for its sixth nuclear weapons test, vice-foreign minister Han Song-Ryol said that its programme would only escalate. “We’ll be conducting more missile tests on a weekly, monthly and yearly basis,” Mr Han told the BBC in an interview, threatening “all-out war” if the US took any action against it. Arriving in Tokyo for talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Mr Pence hailed the two countries’ longstanding security ties.

“The alliance between the US and Japan is the cornerstone of peace and security in Northeast Asia,” he told Mr Abe. The Japanese leader called for a peaceful resolution to the North Korea tensions but did not rule out the need for tough measures. The US and Japan launched economic talks that Mr Pence said could result in a bilateral trade deal, perhaps salvaging some elements of a now-abandoned trans-Pacific trade pact. “At some point in the future there may be a decision made between our nations to take what we have learned in this dialogue and commence formal negotiations for a free trade agreement,” Mr Pence said at a joint news conference with deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso. “But I will leave that to the future.”