North Korea unsuccessfully tested a rocket with the ability to be used for long-range missiles Sunday, raising concerns of the country's nuclear capabilities. North Korea shot the rocket across Japan and into the Pacific Ocean, violating United Nations Security Council rules and dashing President Barack Obama's hope of denuclearization.
This launch was less of a failure than North Korea's 2006 nuclear test. The editorial board of The Miami Student believes there should be active prevention efforts to keep North Korea from continuing the advancement of nuclear weapon technology.
Obama said the U.N. Security Council needs to punish these violations and North Korea must be held accountable for their defiance. The U.N. is continuing consultations to decide on the best way to respond to the situation, but they have not been able to take strong action against North Korea because of China, a permanent member of the council.
The United States must react to this infringement and explore other options than just the U.N. Security Council because of the strong influence of Russia and China.
This editorial board believes Obama needs to play a significant role in making the United States concerns heard within the U.N. but also work to form multilateral responses with other countries. If the U.S. has learned anything from the conflict in the Middle East it is the importance of working together with international peacekeeping bodies to make collective decisions. The six-party talks among China, North Korea, South Korea, the U.S., Russia and Japan need to be restarted. They provide an alternative way to the stop the advancement of North Korea's nuclear weapons and develop incentives for their cooperation.
Obama also needs to address the American people after the U.N. or any other multilateral collaboration issues any sanctions. The government needs to make clear its stance on international issues involving nuclear weapons. Obama should walk the American public through a general overview of what is happening and increase transparency so Americans have a better understanding of the government's actions. Americans will not have blind faith in government officials, and it is important to make sure the American public is behind the president's decisions.
The launch of the North Korean rocket demonstrates the shortcomings of the U.N. when dealing with nuclear weapons and the need for alterative methods to punish international violations.
