WASHINGTON—Representative Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement:

“The latest illegal missile launch underscores Kim Jung Un’s belligerence and recalcitrance in the face of the international community’s unanimous condemnation earlier this week. The recent resolutions and additional sanctions applied by the United Nations Security Council, if rigorously enforced by China and Russia, could help bring the Kim regime to the negotiating table.

“This was the second missile to fly over our ally Japan, an unacceptable escalatory act by North Korea. The President should make crystal clear to North Korea, our allies, and the rest of the world that the United States keeps our promises: we stand 100 percent behind our alliance commitments as a matter of longstanding American policy.

“The President cannot expect his so-called ‘peaceful pressure campaign’ to succeed without a complete and competent diplomatic team in place. With no nominees for key positions such as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asia, U.S. Ambassador to Seoul and many more, the Administration is ratcheting up pressure without appropriate diplomatic personnel in place.”

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