International reactions after DPRK satellite launch

People at a train station in Seoul on Friday watch a TV screen showing a graphic of the rocket launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. [Jung Yeon-Je / Agence France-Presse]

Republic of Korea

The Republic of Korea condemned the rocket launch as a provocative threat to peace and stability in Northeast Asia and pressed Pyongyang to take full responsibility for any repercussions, Yohnap News quoted ROK Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan as saying on Friday.

Kim and United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged to take "resolute" action against the launch and agreed to refer the issue to the UN Security Council, according to Yohnap.

During a 10-minute conversation, Kim and Clinton "shared the view that the international community should send a clear and strong message" to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Yohnap quoted an ROK official as saying, on condition of anonymity.

United States

Despite the failure of its attempted missile launch, Pyongyang's provocative action threatens regional security, violates international law and contravenes its own recent commitments, said White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, in a statement on Thursday in Washington.

"While this action is not surprising, given North Korea's pattern of aggressive behavior," Carney said, "any missile activity by the DPRK is of concern to the international community. The US remains vigilant in the face of the DPRK's provocations and is fully committed to the security of US allies in the region."

Group of Eight

The G8 foreign ministers condemned the launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and blamed the launch as a violation of UN Security Council Resolutions 1695, 1718 and 1874, said a statement from the US Department of State on Thursday in Washington.

"Sharing the view that the launch undermines regional peace and stability, we call on the DPRK to abstain from further launches using ballistic missile technology or other actions which aggravate the situation on the Korean Peninsula," said the statement.

"We are ready to consider, with others, taking measures responding to all activities of the DPRK that violate UN Security Council Resolutions, and calling for an appropriate response by the UN Security Council," said the statement.

The ministers urged the DPRK "to abstain from further launches using ballistic missile technology or other actions which aggravate the situation on the Korean Peninsula".

The G8 groups gather the United States, Canada, Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Japan and Russia.

China

China urged "calm and restraint" from all sides after Pyongyang's failed rocket launch drew strong condemnation from the US, ROK and Japan.

"We hope all relevant parties can maintain calm and restraint, and refrain from acts that would harm peace and stability on the peninsula and in the region," foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said in a statement on Friday.

He also called on all sides to maintain "contact and dialogue" in the brief statement.

Japan

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura also condemned DPRK's satellite launch, said AFP.

"Even if it was a failure, it is a grave provocation to our country and other countries concerned and violates UN Security Council resolutions," he said.

According to a Reuters report, Japan may consider economic sanctions against the DPRK, depending on the response of the international community, Japanese Finance Minister Jun Azumi said on Friday.

"It's become clear that (the DPRK) launched a flying object so I'll consider, if necessary, how to respond to it while taking into account movements in the international community," he said, when asked about whether Japan will seek new economic sanctions against the DPRK.

Germany

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, who was at the United Nations, said the launch "will increase tensions on the Korean Peninsula", and the Security Council "must give a strong answer", AFP reported.

United Nations

The Security Council ordered an emergency meeting on Friday to condemn North Korea's failed rocket launch, but is unlikely to order immediate new sanctions against the isolated state, said AFP.

Russia

The DPRK's launch of a rocket contradicted a Security Council resolution restricting the use of ballistic technology, the Interfax news agency on Friday cited an unidentified Russian foreign ministry official as saying.

"UN Security Council resolutions voice unambiguous calls not to conduct such launches. This approach is shared by the participants in the six-party negotiations," Interfax cited Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying.