Getting too testy to the world

North Korea`s plan to launch a long-range missile is a serious provocation that violates resolutions issued by the United Nations Security Council that would impose sanctions on Pyongyang if the launch proceeds. Resolutions 1718 and 1874 banned North Korea from firing any kind of rocket using ballistic missile technology. The council says the North is trying to secure the means to carry nuclear warheads through its planned launch.

The launch would be North Korea`s second under leader Kim Jong Un, who will soon mark the first anniversary of his inauguration. He had a missile fired April 13 this year, two days before the centennial birthday of his late grandfather, North Korea founder Kim Il Sung. Yet the test ended in humiliating failure. This time, Pyongyang picked for the launch Dec. 17, which is around the first anniversary of the death of Kim Jong Un`s predecessor and father Kim Jong Il. North Korea is apparently trying to use the missile launch as a gun salute to celebrate the anachronistic transition of power to the third generation of the ruling Kim family. The Stalinist state has spent 850 million U.S. dollars to fire long-range missiles, an amount enough to purchase 2.5 million tons of corn that could feed 19 million North Koreans for a year. The North suffers from an annual food shortage of about 400,000 tons. If Pyongyang uses the missile budget to purchase food, it could end the hunger of its people for six years.

North Korea announced its planned launch Saturday, or a day after Chinese President Xi Jinping’s special envoy returned to Beijing after visiting Pyongyang. The North has thus thrown cold water on global expectations of a change in the communist regime. If the missile is launched, China can no longer afford to make comments siding with North Korea. If Pyongyang proceeds with the launch, it will further isolate itself from the world and aggravate the pain and suffering of its people.

The missile test is also part of Pyongyang’s plot to spawn conflict in South Korea ahead of the latter`s presidential election this month. The Unified Progressive Party of South Korea issued a commentary suggesting that the North’s missile is no different from South Korea’s first space rocket Naro. The South Korean National Election Commission paid 2.7 billion won (2.49 million dollars) in subsidies to this pro-North Korea party, which is worrisome in that it will use the money as seed funds to sway the free democratic system of South Korea. Both ruling Saenuri Party presidential candidate Park Geun-hye and her rival Moon Jae-in of the main opposition Democratic United Party should denounce the North’s planned launch and thus clarify that the next government will not stand for such a provocation.