[Unofficial Translation]

1. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) conducted its fourth ballistic missile launch this year in the vicinity of Sinpo in the morning of April 5, 2017. The Government of the Republic of Korea (ROK) condemns in the strongest terms the DPRK’s provocative action as it constitutes a flagrant challenge to a series of the UN Security Council resolutions in response to DPRK’s nuclear and missile provocations as well as a threat to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and the international community.

2. The DPRK should face the clear reality that, such reckless acts of provocation on its part, together with the assassination of Kim Jong Nam with the use of chemical weapon, will only serve to strengthen the resolve by the international community for sanctions and punitive actions against the DPRK, bringing forward the self-inflicted collapse of the regime.

3. The ROK Government will strengthen the international cooperation, in response to the repeated provocations by the DPRK, centering on the UN Security Council, and accelerate our efforts to enhance the ROK-US capabilities for extended deterrence, remaining steadfast in safeguarding the lives of its people and the security of the nation based on the strong ROK-US combined defense posture. /end/