The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea stated in a statement that North Korea fired a ballistic missile today toward the ocean, but they provided no other information, such as how far the missile travelled.
The launch came hours after North Korea issued a veiled threat to use nuclear weapons to get the US and South Korea to “pay the most horrible price in history” — an escalation of its fiery rhetoric targeting the ongoing large-scale military drills between its rivals.
In a statement, Pak Jong Chon, a secretary of the ruling Workers’ Party who is considered a close confidant of leader Kim Jong Un, called the ongoing military drills between South Korea and the US “aggressive and provocative”.
North Korea has claimed that its recent nuclear and missile tests were intended to send a message to Washington and Seoul regarding a series of joint military exercises that it sees as an invasion practise, such as the ones this week involving nearly 240 bombers.
In reaction, the North Korean Foreign Ministry threatened to take “more powerful follow-up measures” after yesterday’s criticism of the United States for escalating military drills with South Korea that it alleges are practise for a potential invasion.
Yesterday, the White House responded to North Korea’s sabre-rattling by repeating that drills are a regular component of training with South Korea.
“We reject the notion that they serve as any sort of provocation.
We’ve been very clear about the fact that we don’t intend to be hostile towards the DPRK, and we urge them to engage in serious and sustained diplomacy “Adrienne Watson, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, used the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea as North Korea’s official name today.
”
The DPRK is still not responding.
While doing so, we will keep collaborating closely with our allies and partners to prevent the North from advancing its illegal weapons programmes and endangering regional stability.
This year, North Korea has increased the frequency of its weapons tests to a record level, launching over 40 ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles under development and an intermediate-range missile shot over Japan.
These tests have been followed by an escalating nuclear doctrine from the North, which permits preemptive nuclear strikes in ill-defined crisis situations.
N. Korea launches a missile toward the ocean after a threat, South Korea
About Author
