NATO Secretary General Calls for 'Global Response' to North Korea’s Nuke Tests

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Sunday that the global community should collectively respond to Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile tests, which pose a threat to the entire world.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Stoltenberg stressed that NATO urges North Korea to abandon its nuclear and missile programs and to stop tests that are a "blatant violation" of several UN security resolutions.

"The reckless behavior of North Korea is a global threat and requires a global response, and that of course also includes NATO," Stoltenberg told the BBC broadcaster.

Stoltenberg also stressed that NATO was closely monitoring the situation in the region.

The situation on the Korean Peninsula has escalated in recent months due to Pyongyang's missile launches and nuclear tests, all conducted in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions.

In June, Russia and China put forward a road map for the settlement of the North Korean crisis, the so-called double freeze plan, which provides for the simultaneous cessation of both North Korea's nuclear activity and the US-South Korean military exercises. The initiative has been rejected by the United States.

On August 5, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2371, which further tightens sanctions against North Korea in response to Pyongyang's ballistic missiles tests conducted in late July. However, the restrictive measures failed to prevent North Korea from conducting further tests.

Last week, North Korea announced it successfully tested a hydrogen bomb that could be loaded onto an intercontinental ballistic missile, triggering worldwide condemnation.