Seoul officials say North Korea’s launch of ballistic missiles in the eastern waters has threatened a “stronger military response” to US efforts to boost its security presence in the region. It was after hours. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said a short-range ballistic missile was fired from North Korea’s Wonsan area on Thursday. The missile flew about 240 kilometers (149 miles) and reached an altitude of 47 kilometers (29 miles), he said, JCS said, adding that South Korean and US forces conducted “pre-planned” missile defense exercises just before launch. He added that he did. The South Korean military said it would continue to maintain a firm standby posture.
North Korea has tested a record number of missiles this year, including an intercontinental ballistic missile that may have failed, and Washington and Seoul have expanded the size and scope of joint military exercises. Japan participated in some exercises. Amid tensions, the leaders of the United States, South Korea, and Japan held trilateral talks on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Cambodia last week, pledging to work together to further “strengthen deterrence.” In statements after the meeting, U.S. President Joe Biden, South Korean President Yoon Sook-yeol, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida “condemned” North Korea for an “unprecedented number of ballistic missile launches” and issued a statement “concerning security.”, promised to build even closer trilateral relations.” .”And beyond”.
They also warned North Korea not to conduct a seventh nuclear test, and Biden reiterated that US commitments to defend Seoul and Tokyo are “supported by any capability, including nuclear capabilities.” North Korea on Thursday condemned the trilateral summit, with Foreign Minister Choi Sun-hee saying that the three countries’ “war drills for aggression” would not deter Pyongyang, but would rather be “more serious.” and pose a real and inevitable threat,” he said. “The more the United States commits to ‘enhanced provision of enhanced deterrence’ to its allies and ramps up its provocative and bluffing military activities, the more violent North Korea’s military response will be. dear,” Choi said in a statement. Obtained by KCNA Official – Agency where the news spread.
She referred to her country by the initials of her official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. “The US will find themselves gambling and regret it,” she said. Choi added that North Korea’s military activities were “a legitimate and mere countermeasure” to US-led military exercises. Analysts said the signal from North Korea was significant given last week’s regional summit and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s attendance after years of self-imposed pandemic quarantine. China is an isolated North Korea’s most important ally and trading partner. “Even after the Kim regime conducts another nuclear test, Beijing may not be immediately cooperative in dealing with North Korea,” Leif Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said in an email to Al Jazeera. told, “But at some point, China’s interests will prefer to put pressure on Pyongyang rather than confront the more strategically united United States, South Korea, and Japan.”
