Seoul: The top US envoy for East Asia says North Korea's failed rocket launch is a threat to international security but he declined to talk about possible sanctions.
US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell was carefully diplomatic in his comments on Monday to reporters at Seoul's Foreign Ministry.
He says the world is committed to discouraging future North Korean provocations. But he says the best response is "a very clear and firm coordination" by Washington and its allies.
Strict sanctions and international condemnation haven't stopped the North from staging two nuclear tests and four long-range rocket launches in recent years. The rocket launched on Friday broke apart over the Yellow Sea shortly after liftoff.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, April 16, 2012, 16:01