North Korea 'totally rejects' UN council vote

UNITED NATIONS, July 16 (Reuters) North Korea ''totally rejects'' the UN Security Council resolution condemning its recent series of missile tests, its UN ambassador said.

''It is clear to everyone that there is no need for the DPRK to unilaterally put on hold the missile launches under such a situation,'' Ambassador Pak Gil Yon told the council yesterday following the vote, using the acronym for his country's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The measure had the ''despicable aim'' of isolating and putting pressure on his government, he said.

''It is a far-fetched assertion, grossly falsifying the reality, for them to claim that the routine missile launches conducted by the Korean People's Army for self-defense strained the regional situation and blocked the process of dialogue,'' Pak said.

''The DPRK's missile development, test fire, manufacture and deployment therefore serve as a key to keeping the balance of force and preserving peace and stability in Northeast Asia,'' he said.

The envoy's remarks prompted a sharp retort from US Ambassador John Bolton.

''This has been a historic day. Not only have we unanimously adopted Resolution 1695, but North Korea has set a world record in rejecting it within 45 minutes after its adoption,'' Bolton said.

The United States could exercise a right of reply to respond to Pak's comments concerning Washington, Bolton said, ''But on the other hand, why bother.'' Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said Pak's remarks reflected the ''interesting nature of negotiations with North Korea on the entire gamut of issues.'' ''I don't think that this is something completely unexpected,'' Churkin told reporters. ''It doesn't change the resolution. It doesn't change the unity of the Security Council.'' In lengthy remarks, Pak said his government had dropped a moratorium on missile tests only after the United States scrapped key commitments it had made to North Korea.

He also criticized Washington over its push to freeze about 20 million dollars in North Korean funds at a Macau bank on suspicion it was linked to illicit cross-border financial activities such as counterfeiting of US currency.

Were it not for North Korea's efforts to build up its defenses, the United States would have attacked it ''more than once,'' he said, noting President George W Bush's characterization of his country as part of an ''axis of evil'' along with Iraq, which the United States invaded in 2003, and Iran.

Pak also accused Tokyo of politicizing North Korea's past abductions of Japanese citizens. Pyongyang abducted at least 13 Japanese in the 1970s and 1980s to help train spies. Five of them have returned to Japan, and Tokyo has been pressing for details on the fate of the remaining eight, who North Korea says have died.

REUTERS DKS BD0440