Pyongyang responds to the UN’s request to refer the country to the ICC charging the United States, of “orchestrating everything". Satellites show great activity in areas of the reactors. North Korea’s number two flies to Moscow to meet Putin.

Seoul (AsiaNews) - The North Korean regime has threatened a new nuclear test in response to inquiry announced by the UN on human rights abuses committed on its territory. Pyongyang's Foreign Ministry believes the resolution adopted by the UN Headquarters requesting the referral of the country to the International Criminal Court "is being orchestrated by the United States". The Kim government has already conducted three unauthorized nuclear tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013. These experiments led to a tightening of international sanctions against the country, devastating its economy.

The regime believe, the charges of the international community "are was based on "fabricated testimonies" from North Korean defectors and "slander against Pyongyang". The resolution's approval was a "grave political provocation" by the US and such "aggression..is leaving us unable to further refrain from staging a new nuclear test". According to satellite images, the areas around the known reactors "are a hive of activity".

A spokesman for the US State Department said: " It would certainly be unfortunate to threaten with that kind of activity in response to the legitimate focus on North Korea's human rights situation by the international community". Despite the political clamor, it is unlikely that the UN resolution will produce any fruit: in fact, the text asks the Security Council to denounce Pyongyang at the International Criminal Court, but the Chinese and Russian veto (or one of the two countries) could block everything.

To date, Moscow and Beijing are the Kim regime's last - and increasingly reluctant - allies. On several occasions, Chinese President Xi Jinping has expressed discontent over the actions of China's uncomfortable neighbour, while Vladimir Putin has kept silent on the subject for a long time. At the moment, the North Korean regime's number two Choe Ryong Hae - Secretary of the Workers' Party - is in Russia. Secret surround the talks agenda, which should include a meeting with Putin.

 

• KOREA
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• UN
• inquiry
• human
• rights
• abuse
• nuclear
• test