Donald Trump attacks Kim Jong-un on Twitter after North Korea’s latest missile test
Donald Trump has attacked North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Twitter after Pyongyang’s latest missile test, asking, “Does this guy have anything better to do with his life?”
Shortly after North Korea launched another ballistic missile toward Japan early on Tuesday, the US President reacted on social media and suggested China do more to rein in its neighbour.
“North Korea has just launched another missile. Does this guy have anything better to do with his life?,” Mr Trump said, without mentioning Mr Kim by name.
“Hard to believe that South Korea … and Japan will put up with this much longer. Perhaps China will put a heavy move on North Korea and end this nonsense once and for all!”
The launch was part of a string of recent test-firings as the North works to build a nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the United States.
The missile flew for about 40 minutes and landed in Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the Japanese government said, adding it had strongly protested what it called a clear violation of UN resolutions.
South Korea’s Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile flew about 580 miles.
In the US, the Defence Department said Pacific Command detected and tracked the launch of a land-based, intermediate range ballistic missile from North Korea’s Panghyon Airfield.
With a summit of leaders from the Group of 20 nations to be held in Germany later this week, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he would ask the presidents of China and Russia to play more constructive roles in efforts to stop the North’s arms programme.
“Leaders of the world will gather at the G20 meeting. I would like to strongly call for solidarity of the international community on the North Korean issue,” Mr Abe said.
It was the fourth ballistic missile launched by the North since South Korean President Moon Jae-in took office in May, vowing to use dialogue as well as pressure to bring Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programmes under control.
Mr Trump has sent mixed signals in tackling North Korea. In April, he indicated he would be open to meeting with Mr Kim and would be “honoured” to do so if the circumstances were right.
However, he has ramped up the rhetoric in recent weeks, declaring last week that the “era of strategic patience” with North Korea was over.
His tweets in response to the latest test alarmed some North Korea experts. Laura Rosenberger, a former State Department official, said: “Picking a twitter fight with a nuclear-armed dictator is not wise – this is not reality TV anymore.
“Trump is playing with fire here – nuclear fire. He could literally get us in to a war with his tweets.”
The missile launch comes as the Trump administration has displayed increasing frustration with China’s reluctance to put more pressure on North Korea. Last week, the US blacklisted a small Chinese bank over its business ties with North Korea.
The White House said Mr Trump brought up the North Korean missile programme during a phone call on Sunday with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Chinese state media reported that Mr Xi warned Mr Trump that “some negative factors” were hurting US-China relations.
The New York Times, citing anonymous administration officials, reported on Monday that Mr Trump told the Chinese leader that the US was ready to act on its own against North Korea.
The North has in the past launched ballistic missiles timed to key diplomatic events and meetings of leaders.
As well as the upcoming G20 summit, the missile launch comes ahead of July 4 Independence Day celebrations in the United States. North Korea has previously fired missiles around this US holiday.
Source:- http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/07/04/donald-trump-attacks-kim-jong-un-twitter-north-koreas-latest/
