North Korea on Thursday (October 6) launched two new ballistic missiles and conducted weapons tests “Reasonable Countermeasures” Washington and Seoul and against their military exercises in the region. According to the South Korean military, the short-range projectiles were fired from around Pyongyang towards the Sea of Japan on Thursday morning. The Japanese Coast Guard confirmed the discovery of the projectiles. This is the sixth release in less than two weeks “Totally unacceptable”Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida immediately responded.
The fresh firing comes as the UN Security Council meets in New York to discuss the launch of another North Korean missile that hit Japan two days earlier. On Tuesday, a Hwasong-12-type missile flew over Japan and traveled about 4,600 km, according to Seoul and Washington, the longest distance Pyongyang has ever reached in its tests. It was the first time in five years that a North Korean missile had landed within Japan’s territory.
North Korea adopted a new doctrine in September “irreplaceable” Its status as a nuclear power has accelerated its firing this year, launching an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) for the first time since 2017. These shootings “The Korean People’s Army’s just response to the joint military maneuvers between South Korea and the United States that are causing increased military tensions on the Korean Peninsula”, the North Korean ministry said in a statement Thursday. Following Tuesday’s launch, Washington called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council. But North Korea’s ally China also blamed the US.
Washington vs. Beijing
Pyongyang’s missile tests “closely related” US-South Korean military drills, Chinese Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Geng Shuang told the council. He blamed Washington“Poison for regional security environment”.
Seoul, Tokyo and Washington have stepped up joint military exercises in recent weeks, including anti-submarine warfare drills and large-scale naval maneuvers. On Wednesday, South Korea and the United States launched five ballistic missiles, one of which crashed after being fired at fictitious targets in the Sea of Japan. And the day before yesterday, the air forces of both countries engaged in firing training in the Yellow Sea.
Seoul also announced the return to the region of the USS Ronald Reagan, a US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that conducted exercises with the South Korean navy in September. France, England, Albania, Norway and Ireland supported the Security Council meeting.
“We are definitely in a cycle of armed provocation”
US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, condemned the attack “A clear attempt to reward China and Russia [la Corée du Nord] for his evil deeds”and called for tougher sanctions against Pyongyang.
In May, Beijing and Moscow vetoed a Security Council resolution imposing new sanctions on North Korea, after the body unanimously adopted tougher sanctions in 2017. Analysts say North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s regime is at the UN. Push his weapon tests further.
Seoul and Washington expect North Korea to resume its nuclear tests, which have been halted since 2017, probably after the Chinese Communist Party congress that begins on October 16.
“At this point, it would seem counterproductive for Kim to back down and stop provocations. Not to mention the amount of resources wasted conducting these weapons tests.Soo Kim, an analyst at the RAND Corporation, explained to Agence France-Presse. “We are definitely in a cycle of armed provocation”she said.
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