The latest launch coincides with US Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit to the Demilitarized Zone on the border with South Korea
The ballistic weapons program continues in North Korea, which launched its fourth missile in less than a week on Thursday in the Baltic Sea, better known as the Sea of Japan, Seoul’s joint chiefs of staff said in a statement. Information also confirmed by the Japanese Coast Guard. The launch coincides with the visit of United States Vice President Kamala Harris to the Demilitarized Zone on the border with South Korea.
While Kim Jong-un achieves a record number of weapons tests with the shot in less than a week this year, Seoul and Washington are conducting joint military exercises in the area with the participation of the aircraft carrier ‘Ronald Reagan’. Both governments have stepped up their security operations in the face of the possibility of Pyongyang taking “provocative” actions, such as nuclear tests. During the day they conducted a series of training sessions together with the Japanese navy.
Washington and Seoul, for their part, are strengthening bilateral relations during Harris’s visit. “Every morning I start the day by reading the President’s (Joe Biden) report and he talks about the main points of conflict, priorities and troops abroad,” emphasized the US vice president. “You keep promises, so we’re grateful for that. I know it’s not always easy, but it makes a difference in the lives of many people you may never meet,” he added, referring to his soldiers, who “serve side by side with Koreans. They train together and are committed to working in solidarity and with a common goal, which is to maintain security and stability in the region.”
From the inter-Korean border, Harris observed both ends with binoculars. “The demilitarized zone reminds us of the drastic difference between the two sides over the last seven decades. In the south you see a prosperous democracy, innovation… And in the north a brutal dictatorship, blatant violations of human rights and an illegal weapons program. The United States and the whole world are committed to lasting peace on the Korean peninsula, where Pyongyang is no longer a threat,” he said emphatically.
During her visit to Seoul, the US vice president praised the alliance with South Korea through a meeting with his president, Yoon Suk Yeol. At the meeting, they agreed that ties between the two countries “remain an axis of stability and prosperity” in the region. Harris also reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to “deterrence” with the country and reiterated its goal of achieving the denuclearization of the peninsula, while condemning North Korea’s latest launches and its “provocative nuclear rhetoric”.
The United Kingdom also joined Washington’s request. “I urge North Korea to change course and abandon its ballistic weapons program,” Secretary of State James Cleverly said. Similarly, he welcomed the South Korean president’s initiative to provide economic aid to his northern neighbor — a move he described as “brave” — though he blamed Pyongyang for responding to Seoul’s proposals with ballistic missiles.
Added to today’s shot are the two close range shots he launched yesterday and another one from last Sunday. Kim Jong-un has given the green light to 19 ballistic missile launches so far this year. South Korean intelligence has warned that its northern neighbor plans to conduct a nuclear test at Punggye Ri between October 16 and November 7, where a tunnel and facilities for this type of testing are being prepared.
Source: La Verdad
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
