North Korea fired at least three more missiles on Thursday, the South Korean military said. One of these may have been a long-range nuclear missile with a range of thousands of kilometers. It fell in the Pacific Ocean about 1,100 kilometers east of Japan. The US has condemned the launch. The shooting was “a clear violation of several UN Security Council resolutions”.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price announced this on Wednesday (local time). The move highlights the danger North Korea’s illicit weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs pose to its neighbors and the region, as well as to international peace and security.
Japan: Tests are ‘absolutely unforgivable’
The United States, along with the international community, have called on North Korea to refrain from further provocations and engage in dialogue. The US commitment to the defense of South Korea and Japan remains “iron”. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said North Korea’s repeated missile launches “definitely cannot be forgiven.”
In Japan, where Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier stayed in the evening for his onward journey to South Korea, the latest North Korean missile test caused confusion. The Tokyo government had previously corrected initial information that the first long-range missile had flown over Japan. The missile disappeared from radar over the Sea of Japan. There was no damage in Japan from the missiles. Residents of some prefectures in northeastern and central Japan had previously been asked to stay in their homes for safety.
Missile hit very close to South Korean territory
Despite international criticism, North Korea has been conducting missile tests at an unusually high rate since late September. According to the South Korean military, the country had fired more than 20 rockets into the east and west coasts during the day on Wednesday — more than ever in one day. For the first time, a missile landed near South Korea’s territorial waters, provoking a sharp response from Seoul. The US condemned the missile launch, Russia and China called for restraint.
The new North Korean missile tests were seen in South Korea in response to the largest air force exercise by South Korean and US forces in several years. North Korea had accused the two countries of “reckless” military provocations and threatened countermeasures. The multi-day exercises in South Korea will continue until Friday.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
