North Korea conducted its second major weapons test this month, firing an intercontinental ballistic missile near Japanese waters on Friday.
The missile in question showed that it had the potential to launch a nuclear attack on the entire US mainland.
The United States immediately condemned the launch and promised to take “all necessary measures” to ensure the safety of its territory and its allies South Korea and Japan.
Vice President Kamala Harris met with leaders from these countries, as well as Australia, Canada and New Zealand, who attended a regional forum in Bangkok to discuss the launch.
“We urge North Korea to stop further illegal, destabilizing actions,” Harris said at the start of the meeting. On behalf of the United States, I reaffirm our firm commitment to our Indo-Pacific alliances.” “Together, the countries represented here will continue to urge North Korea to commit to serious and sustainable diplomacy.”
North Korea’s recent heated weapons tests are aimed at advancing its nuclear arsenal and gaining greater concessions in future diplomacy. It came as China and Russia opposed US moves to toughen UN sanctions aimed at curbing North Korea’s nuclear program.
South Korean Chiefs of Staff said that they detected ICBM launches around 10:15 am from the capital region of North Korea. Japan said it flew in a high orbit and landed west of the island of Hokkaido.
According to South Korean and Japanese estimates, the missile flew 6,000-6,100 kilometers (3,600-3,790 miles) at a maximum altitude of 1,000 kilometers (620 miles).
Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said that, depending on the weight of a potential warhead, the missile has a range in excess of 15,000 kilometers (9,320 miles), “in which case it could cover the entire United States mainland.”
Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for the US National Security Council, said the launch “unnecessarily increased tensions” and showed that North Korea prioritized illegal weapons programs over the welfare of its people. “Pyongyang should immediately end its destabilizing actions and choose diplomatic engagement instead,” Watson said.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, in the opening speech of the meeting in Bangkok, described the launch as “totally unacceptable”, saying the missile had landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone west of Hokkaido.
South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said the international community must work together to realize that each North Korea’s provocation is further deepening its international loneliness and economic difficulties.
air raid simulation
Later on Friday, the South Korean military said its F-35 warplanes were conducting exercises simulating an air strike on North Korean mobile missile launchers at a firing range near the land border with North Korea. It was stated that a group of eight South Korean and US fighter jets conducted separate flight training off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula.
The South Korean Chiefs of Staff said, “The exercises demonstrated our strong determination to deal firmly with an ICBM launch and other provocations and threats posed by North Korea, and with the overwhelming capacity of the Allies and their readiness to launch precision strikes on the enemy.” said in a statement.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has previously instructed officials to increase security cooperation with the United States and Japan and to implement unspecified deterrence steps previously agreed with Washington. Yoon also instructed authorities to press for strong international condemnation and sanctions against North Korea, according to his office.
North Korea also launched an ICBM on November 3, but experts said the weapon failed to make its intended flight and crashed into the ocean after detaching at one stage.
This test was believed to involve a developmental missile called the Hwasong-17. North Korea has two other types of ICBMs – Hwasong-14 and Hwasong-15 – and test launches in 2017 showed they could potentially reach parts of the US homeland.
The Hwasong-17 has a longer possible range than any other, and its massive size indicates it was designed to carry multiple nuclear warheads to defeat missile defense systems. Some experts say the Hwansong-17 has made some progress in the development of the November 3 test, considering that it exploded just after takeoff in a previous test in March.
It was not immediately known whether North Korea launched a Hwasong-17 missile or something else on Friday.
In recent months, North Korea has conducted dozens of shorter-range missile tests, which it calls simulations of nuclear strikes against South Korean and US targets. But it halted weapon launches for about a week before firing a short-range ballistic missile on Thursday.
Prior to this launch, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui threatened to take a “harder” military response to the steps the US is taking to strengthen its security commitment to South Korea and Japan.
Choe was referring to President Joe Biden’s recent meeting with Yoon and Kishida on the sidelines of a regional meeting in Cambodia. In a joint statement, the three leaders strongly condemned North Korea’s recent missile tests and agreed to work together to strengthen deterrence. Biden reaffirmed the US commitment to defend South Korea and Japan with a wide variety of capabilities, including nuclear weapons.
Choe did not explain what steps North Korea might take, but said, “The United States will be very aware of its gambling and will certainly regret it.”
North Korea sees the US presence in the region as evidence of American hostility. He said the latest series of weapon launches was a response to what he called provocative military exercises between the United States and South Korea.
There are concerns that North Korea may conduct its first nuclear test in five years as its next major step towards strengthening its military capability against the United States and its allies.
North Korea is under multiple United Nations sanctions for previous nuclear and missile tests. However, no new sanctions were imposed this year, as it launched dozens of ballistic missiles, which was prohibited by UN Security Council resolutions.
China and Russia, the two members of the Security Council with veto power, oppose the new UN sanctions. Washington faces a strategic rivalry with Beijing and Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.
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