North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile this week as a warning towards continued US-South Korean navy drills, state media mentioned Friday.
The missile, launched Thursday, was meant to “give a stronger warning to the enemies deliberately escalating the stress,” in response to Korean Central Information Company (KCNA).
US-SOUTH KOREA DRILLS DETER NORTH KOREA, PENTAGON CLAIMS HOURS AFTER NORTH KOREA LAUNCHES ICBM
A television display at Yongsan railway station exhibits a information bulletin about North Korea’s long-range ballistic missile launch, March 16, 2023. (Kim Jae-Hwan/SOPA Pictures/LightRocket by way of Getty Pictures)
It was the second ICBM launched by North Korea this yr, and was fired simply hours earlier than South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was scheduled to satisfy with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
The aggressive escalation brings consideration to US messaging on the North Korean problem.
USE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS WOULD BE ‘END OF NORTH KOREAN REGIME,’ PENTAGON WARNS
On this photograph supplied by the North Korean authorities, North Korean chief Kim Jong Un, together with his daughter, inspects what it says is an artillery drill at an undisclosed location in North Korea, Thursday, March 9, 2023. (Korean Central Information Company/Korea Information Service by way of AP)
The Department of Defense claimed Thursday its frequent joint navy workout routines with South Korea continues to discourage North Korean assaults.
“I believe what’s essential for folks to know is, one, deterrence continues to work,” Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder instructed reporters at a every day Division of Protection press briefing.
Folks stand close to a tv displaying a information broadcast with file footage of a North Korean missile take a look at, at a railway station in Seoul on March 14, 2023. (ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP by way of Getty Pictures)
“Regardless of launching missiles into the ocean, North Korea just isn’t attacking, nor ought to they, and that america, Japan, South Korea and different allies and companions within the area will proceed to work collectively to broaden that deterrence and to maintain our international locations protected,” Ryder said.