In a concerning development, North Korea conducted its first round of missile tests in about a month, launching a long-range ballistic missile capable of reaching anywhere on the US mainland, according to Japanese officials. The missile, which flew approximately 1,000km and reached over 6,000km in altitude, landed in the sea east of the Korean peninsula.
Japan’s parliamentary vice-minister of defense, Shingo Miyake, expressed concern, suggesting the missile’s potential range could exceed 15,000km, encompassing the entire US territory. Authorities are working to confirm if it qualifies as an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
The projectile’s impact was outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone off Hokkaido, with no reported damage to aircraft or ships. However, residents remain cautious due to previous instances of North Korean missiles flying over the island.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida condemned the launch, lodging a protest and convening a national security council meeting. The missile launch follows a test-firing of a shorter-range missile the night before.
The US State Department, condemning the launches, emphasized their violation of UN Security Council resolutions, posing a threat to regional peace and stability. North Korea’s back-to-back launches are seen as a protest against joint efforts by South Korea and the US to enhance nuclear deterrence plans.
Recent meetings between senior US and South Korean officials in Washington resulted in updated nuclear deterrence and contingency strategies. Joint military exercises will incorporate nuclear operation scenarios next summer, intensifying military drills, including the temporary deployment of strategic US assets.
North Korea’s response includes fiery rhetoric and a closer alignment with Russia and China, potentially forming a “counter-alliance” against the US and its allies. Notably, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met Vladimir Putin, while China’s foreign minister met with North Korea’s vice-minister of foreign affairs.
Tensions escalate as North Korea criticizes Seoul and Washington’s decision to include nuclear operation scenarios in joint military drills, describing it as an open threat. The animosities deepen following North Korea’s launch of a military reconnaissance satellite, violating UN bans, prompting condemnations from South Korea, the US, and Japan.
In response, South Korea announces plans to resume frontline aerial surveillance, and North Korea retaliates by restoring border guard posts, breaching a 2018 inter-Korean deal on easing military tensions. The situation unfolds with global concerns about North Korea’s missile capabilities and its impact on regional stability.
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