US, allies clash with China, Russia over NKorea missiles

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States and its allies have clashed with China and Russia over North Korea’s escalating ballistic missile launches and American-led military exercises in South Korea, again preventing any action by the divided U.N. Security Council. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield sai that North Korea’s “staggering 59 ballistic missile launches this year,” including 13 since Oct. 27, are about more than advancing Pyongyang’s military capabilities and seek to raise stoke fear in its neighbors. She said 13 of the 15 Security Council members have condemned North Korea’s actions but Pyongyang has been protected by China and Russia. China’s U.N. ambassador countered that North Korea’s launches are directly linked to large-scale U.S.-South Korean military exercises