North Korea conducted three missile tests today after US President Joe Biden completed his tour to the Far East. One of the missiles is believed to be North Korea’s largest ever intercontinental ballistic missile. President Biden agreed on new steps aimed at deterring North Korea during his contacts within the scope of his Far East visit.
South Korea’s Deputy National Security Advisor, Kim Tae-hyo, said it was understood that North Korea was conducting some experiments with a detonator in preparation for its seventh nuclear test, but that a nuclear test is unlikely in the coming days.
America and South Korea conducted live fire drills in response to missile tests. The US Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) and surface-to-surface missiles belonging to South Korea’s Hyunmoo-2 SRBM system were used in the exercise.
The armies of the two countries also displayed a military showdown with dozens of fighter jets in “elephant march” formation, as a sign of South Korea’s new President Yoon Suk-yeol’s tough stance against North Korea’s weapons tests.
Yoon Suk-yeol’s predecessor, the liberal Moon Jae-in, took the approach of communicating with North Korea, but after that approach failed, he opted for a military showdown after North Korea launched a series of missile launches in his last days in power.
South Korean President Yoon, who took office on May 10, said in his summit meetings with US President Biden at the weekend that the United States’ joint military exercises with his country and “strategic assets, such as nuclear-capable bombers, submarines or aircraft carriers, to deter North Korea.” He promised to increase his number.
three missiles
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that three missiles were launched today from the Sunan region, where North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang, is located. The international airport in Sunan has become the center of missile tests.
It appears that the first missile tested was the Hwasong-17, the largest intercontinental ballistic missile in North Korea’s possession. South Korea’s Deputy National Security Advisor, Kim Tae-hyo, said that the second unnamed missile was found to have crashed after launch. Kim said the third short-range missile was aimed at developing North Korea’s nuclear capacity.
“A move with political intent, aimed at testing our new government’s security readiness and delivering a strategic message to South Korea and the United States after President Biden leaves,” Kim said in a statement on the trial.
A military source in Seoul told Reuters news agency that the second and third missiles were KN-23 SRBM missiles, first tested in 2019, which were not intercepted by missile defense systems because they were traveling on a low curve.
The North Korean General Staff reported that in today’s test, it was thought that the intercontinental ballistic order was traveling at an altitude of 360 kilometers to 540 kilometers as the maximum altitude.
Message to allies
A White House official said President Biden, who left Japan last night, was briefed on the missile tests. The US State Department also called on North Korea to “refrain from further provocative actions and engage in sustainable and quality dialogue.”
Japanese officials also condemned the tests and said North Korea could engage in more provocative actions, including a nuclear test.
It was reported that South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin and American Foreign Minister Antony Blinken decided to take steps to strengthen deterrent steps and speed up the issuance of a new resolution from the United Nations.