'Critical Point of Red Line': Seoul Loses Temper Over North Korea's ICBM Tests

Pyongyang has reached a new critical point by carrying out its latest ballistic missile launch, South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said on Monday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The South Korean prime minister slammed North Korea provocations and stressed the efforts of President Moon Jae-in to "navigate" the situation.

"Unfortunately, the North is closing the opportunities for us to realize President Moon's peace initiative and creating the situation that we have warned against… The July 28 ICBM launch has brought (the North) to a critical point of the red line," Lee said, as quoted by the Yonhap news agency.

Earlier in the day, the South Korean National Defense Ministry said Seoul and Washington had begun consultations on the matter of resuming the deployment of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system on the South Korean soil following the latest missile launch.

The South Korean president, who officially came to office on May 10, has repeatedly criticized the previous government under impeached leader Park Geun-Hye for agreeing to host the THAAD system without first seeking parliamentary approval. Moon subsequently suspended the deployment to investigate the environmental consequences of the move.