White House: “Bad idea” if N. Korea tests missile

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – It would be a “bad idea” for North
Korea to test a long-range missile, and Pyongyang should return
to six-party talks on its nuclear program, White House national
security adviser Stephen Hadley said on Wednesday.

U.S. officials have said North Korea is making plans to
test an intercontinental ballistic missile that could reach the
United States, but there were differing opinions about when a
launch might come.

“We think that would be a bad idea for North Korea. We
think what North Korea ought to do is come back to the
six-party talks and talk about how they’re going to give up
their nuclear program,” Hadley said in an interview on CNN.

Six-country talks on North Korea’s nuclear programs are
stalemated and international attention has shifted to concerns
that Iran is building a nuclear weapon.

Japanese media previously reported there had been signs of
North Korea making preparations to test a multiple-stage
Taepodong 2 missile since early May.