North Korea conducted a missile test off its east coast on Wednesday, launching a projectile with its longest-ever flight time. The test took place as leaders of South Korea and Japan were set to meet on the sidelines of a NATO summit to discuss threats, including the nuclear-armed North. The launch followed recent complaints from North Korea, accusing American spy planes of violating its airspace and condemning a recent visit by an American nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine to South Korea. The missile flew for 74 minutes, reaching an altitude of 6,000 km and a range of 1,000 km, making it the longest-ever flight time for a North Korean missile. Japan’s Coast Guard confirmed that the missile appeared to have landed outside Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
Analysts believe that North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) have the capability to strike targets anywhere in the United States. It is also believed that the country has developed nuclear warheads that can fit on rockets. Leif-Eric Easley, an international studies professor at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, suggests that North Korea inflates external threats in order to rally domestic support and justify weapons tests. He states that Pyongyang often times its shows of force to disrupt diplomatic coordination against it, as was the case with South Korean and Japanese leaders meeting during the NATO summit.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was attending the NATO summit in Lithuania, convened an emergency national security council meeting to discuss the missile launch. He vowed to use the summit to call for strong international solidarity in confronting such threats. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, also in Lithuania, ordered his staff to gather information and stay alert to prepare for any unpredicted events. A summit between Kishida, Yoon, and representatives from Australia and New Zealand was also planned to address the situation.
The United States’ top general, along with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts, held a rare trilateral meeting in Hawaii just before the missile launch. Amid North Korea’s military moves and other rising challenges in the region, Yoon has been working to repair ties with Japan and reduce historical disputes that have limited cooperation between the two U.S. allies. In addition to the missile test, North Korea also failed in its attempt to launch its first-ever spy satellite on a new launch vehicle. The United Nations Security Council and several nations have imposed sanctions on North Korea for its missile and nuclear weapons programs.
The launch of the missile threatens the peace and stability of the region and international community. Japan has lodged a protest through diplomatic channels in Beijing and plans to respond in close cooperation with the international community. The situation highlights the ongoing tensions and security concerns in East Asia, with North Korea’s missile and nuclear capabilities being a major source of concern for neighboring countries and the international community as a whole.
Original Story at www.reuters.com – 2023-07-12 05:48:06
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