2 nuclear missiles are fired by North Korea amoung escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Nuclear missile launched
Japanese officials reported that North Korea launched two short-range nuclear missiles early on Thursday, adding to a series of aggressive acts by the isolated state that have increased tensions in the area over the previous two weeks.
According to a statement from Tokyo’s ministry of defence, the first unidentified missile was launched at 6 a.m., reached an altitude of roughly 62 miles, and travelled a distance of about 217 miles before coming to rest in the sea between both the Korean Peninsula and Japan. The second launch came 15 minutes later, but it barely travelled 500 miles and reached a height of about 30 miles, prompting Tokyo to wonder if it “flew on an unusual trajectory.”
No reports of any ships or aircraft damage
According to the ministry, there have been no immediate reports of aircraft or ships being damaged as a result of the launches, and it promptly alerted Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s administration of the incident.
The launch represents the covert nation’s sixth round of weapons testing in the past two weeks and its first since it launched a medium missile launch over Japan and into the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday. This was its most provocative conduct since September 2017, when it launched a missile over its neighbor in a similar fashion.
Antony Blinken warned the reporters
The launch on Tuesday, which occurs simultaneously with joint military drills between the US, South Korea, and Japan close to the peninsula, compelled Washington and Seoul to respond with a live-fire drill, the deployment of the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan to the area, and threats that any additional destabilizing actions would not be tolerated.
In a news conference held while in Chile on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned reporters: “If they continue down this route, it will solely increase the criticism, increase the isolation, and increase the steps that are done in reaction to their behavior.”
Massive weapons tests
Despite political figures urging the Kim Jong Un dictatorship to exercise caution, North Korea has already executed a substantial number of weapons tests this year.
The peace and security of Japan, the region, and the global community are threatened by North Korea’s actions, according to a statement released by the Japanese ministry of defence on Thursday morning. These ballistic missile launches are also in contravention of the pertinent Security Council resolutions, which is why we strongly condemn them.
Emergency meeting in New York
The most recent missile was discovered after they had just wrapped up an emergency meeting in New York about North Korea’s frequent nuclear tests, according to U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield.
“Our message to North Korea: Stop the reckless, provocative, and escalatory behaviour and return to talks,” she tweeted.
Thomas-Greenfield accused China and Russia of shielding North Korea throughout the meeting and preventing the Security Council from denouncing Pyongyang’s provocations with a single voice.
Russia’s envoy to the Security Council, Anna Evstigneeva, accused the United States and its ally in Japan and South Korea for North Korea’s actions, which caused Tuesday’s launch.
Additionally, it described the USS Ronald Reagan’s deployment by the US as “a severe threat to the stability of the situation on the Korean Peninsula.”
This year, Pyongyang has conducted 40 or so weapons tests, breaking the previous high of 35 or so.
In addition, the launch on Thursday came amid experts’ cautions that North Korea might perform a nuclear test at any moment.
SUMMARY :
North Korea test-fires two short-range nuclear missiles, Japanese officials say. First missile reaches an altitude of 62 miles and travels 217 miles before coming to rest in the sea. It is the latest in a series of provocative acts by the isolated state over the past two weeks. North Korea has conducted 40 or so weapons tests this year, breaking the previous high of 35 or so. The most recent missile was discovered after an emergency meeting in New York about North Korea’s frequent nuclear tests.
U.S. Secretary of State: “If they continue down this route, it will increase the criticism”.