UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon warned North Korea on Friday that rocket launch would have effects on the international aid, as China called on all parties to keep calm.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon warned North Korea on Friday that rocket launch would have effects on the international aid, as China called on all parties to keep calm.
"Such an act would undermine recent positive diplomatic progress and, in its effect on international donors, would likely worsen the humanitarian situation inside the country," told an audience of government officials, diplomats and academics during a speech in Singapore.
Ban also said he was "very troubled and very deeply concerned" by Pyongyang's announcement, adding it would be a "clear violation" of UN Security Council resolutions.
The UN Chief warned that the North already had a "serious humanitarian crisis" on its hands.
Meanwhile on Friday, China urged restraint ahead of the launch after Tokyo said it was readying its missile defense systems to shoot it down if it posed any threat to Japan.
"All parties should keep calm and exercise restraint and refrain from actions that would complicate the issue," foreign ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters.
Hong said Beijing had made immediate contact with North Korea, Russia, Japan, the United States and other parties when it found out about the planned rocket launch.
"We stressed that peace and stability in the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia is (in) the common interest of all parties and also their common responsibility," he said.
Japan's defense minister said Friday he had ordered officials to ready missile defense systems to shoot down the rocket if it threatens the country, just as world leaders prepared to meet in Seoul for a nuclear summit.
North Korea announced it will launch a long range rocket next month to put a satellite into orbit.
Under a deal announced last month, Washington would offer substantial food aid for a partial nuclear freeze. It has raised modest hopes of progress in the denuclearization efforts.
