North Korea fires missile at sea as US and South Korea conduct military exercises
North Korea A short-range ballistic missile was launched into the sea on Sunday in a test that appears to be a response to ongoing US-South Korean military exercises.
The North continuing its missile tests shows that the country is not being stopped by US-South Korean exercises, which it sees as a rehearsal for an invasion, although many experts suggest that the tests may also be part of the North’s larger goal of expanding its arsenal of weapons and gaining international recognition. as a nuclear state and lift international sanctions.
The missile, which was launched from the northwestern region of Tonchangri in the north, flew over the country and landed in the sea off its eastern coast, according to estimates from South Korea and Japan, which said the missile traveled about 500 miles. This range suggests the missile could be aimed at South Korea.
The chief nuclear envoys of South Korea, Japan and the United States strongly condemned the launch as a provocation that threatened peace on the Korean peninsula and the region. The two agreed in a telephone conversation to step up their coordination to give a strong international response to the North’s testing activities, according to the Seoul Foreign Ministry.
NORTH KOREA SAYS ICBM LAUNCH WAS ‘WARNING’
On Sunday, North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile into the sea. (Central Korean News Agency/Korean News Service via AP)
armed forces of south korea stated that his joint exercises with the United States would continue, and he would be ready to respond to any provocation from the North. The U.S. launched at least one long-range B-1B bomber for joint air training with South Korean warplanes during Sunday’s exercise, according to South Korea’s defense ministry.
North Korea is wary of deploying B-1Bs that are capable of carrying large conventional weapons payloads. The country responded to the B-1B flights in February by testing the missiles at a range that showed they could reach some military air bases in South Korea.
According to Japanese Deputy Defense Minister Toshiro Ino, the missile landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone. He said there were no reports of damage to ships or aircraft in the area and that the missile was likely on an incorrect trajectory, which could be a reference to the highly maneuverable nuclear-capable KN-23 missile.
The US Indo-Pacific Command said Sunday’s launch poses no immediate threat to US territory or its allies. However, it said the North’s recent launches highlight the “destabilizing impact of its illicit” weapons programs and that US security commitments to South Korea and Japan remain “ironclad.”
The launch marked the third round of North Korea’s weapons tests since the US and South Korea began their joint military exercise on Monday. The exercise includes computer simulations and field exercises and is expected to run until Thursday. The joint exercise is the largest of its kind since 2018.
US Air Force B-1B bombers (lower left) fly in formation with South Korean Air Force F-35As and US Air Force F-16 fighters (lower right) over the south in this photo provided by the South Korean Ministry of Defense. The Korean Peninsula during a joint air exercise in South Korea, Sunday, March 19, 2023 (Ministry of Defense of South Korea via AP)
US AND SOUTH KOREA HOLD NORTH KOREA, PENTAGON SAID HOURS AFTER NORTH KOREA ICBM LAUNCH
North Korea recently tested weapons, including its longest-range Hwaseong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile designed to strike the US mainland. According to state media, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said the launch was carried out to “inspire fear in enemies.”
Thursday’s launch, the North’s first ICBM launch in a month, drew strong opposition from the governments of South Korea, Japan and the United States as it took place just hours before South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol flew to Tokyo to meet with Prime Minister of Japan. Fumio Kishida
Yun and Kishida agreed during the summit to resume talks about defense and further strengthening security cooperation with the US to counter North Korea.
North Korea has missiles that put Japan within reach. In October, North Korea fired a medium-range missile over northern Japan, forcing locals to evacuate and stop trains.
US Air Force B-1B bombers fly in formation with South Korean Air Force F-35A fighters and US Air Force F-16 fighters during a military exercise in South Korea, Sunday, March 19, 2023. (Ministry of Defense of South Korea via AP)
Kishida posted a response to the North Korean launch on Sunday that includes close cooperation with South Korea and the US.
The North also launched cruise missiles from a submarine the day before. military training The missiles were a demonstration of its readiness to respond with “extremely powerful” force to U.S. and South Korean military exercises, according to North Korean state media.
The US and South Korea plan to conduct additional drills involving a US aircraft carrier later this month after the completion of their current drills, which suggests North Korea is likely to respond to those drills with more weapons tests.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.