North Korea will have waited for Joe Biden to leave the region to resume its ballistic missile tests. While the latter took advantage of his stay to adopt a firm line vis-à-vis North Korea, Pyongyang demonstrates its intention to continue with its frantic pace of missile tests since the beginning of the year.
with our correspondent in Seoul, Nicholas Rocca
A few hours after Joe Biden’s return to the United States, North Korea welcomed in its own way the departure of the American president from the region. Three projectiles were launched early on Wednesday towards the Sea of Japan (East Sea as the South Koreans call it). A major provocation vis-à-vis the United States.
If one of the tests seems to have failed, Pyongyang has managed to test an intercontinental ballistic missile and another at short range. While this weekend Joe Biden said his only message to Kim Jong-un was a simple “hello”, the North Korean leader replied with missiles.
During the summit this Saturday between Yoon Suk-yeol and Joe Biden, the two presidents announced the extension of joint military exercises and reaffirmed the American will to defend South Korean territory by any means necessary.
This 17th show of force since the beginning of the year allows North Korea to send a message to Seoul and Washington without facing the consequences that a test would have caused while Joe Biden was in the region.
It remains to be seen whether Pyongyang wants to take the next step in the provocations. South Korea’s military said on Tuesday that North Korea had completed preparations for what would be its first nuclear test since 2017.
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