North Korea has reportedly launched 3 test missiles on Wednesday just hours after US President Joe Biden left Asia.
According to South Korea, the tests believed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile and two shorter-range weapons were launched as Biden concluded his trip to Asia where he declared that the United States will defend its allies against North Korea’s nuclear threat.
Reports revealed that the recent tests was North’s first ICBM launch in two months amid its nuclear diplomacy talks with the United States.
In March, North Korea reportedly violated a 2018 U.N. resolution on long-range launches after the country test-launched its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile to date.
Moreover, the country’s ICBM launch in March was recorded to be the first such firing since 2017 and the most recent tests were also recorded to North Korea’s seventeenth round of missile launches this year and the country’s first since May 12.
Furthermore, following the emergency national security council meeting after North Korea’s tested launches on Wednesday, the South Korea government released another statement.
“North Korea’s sustained provocations can only result in stronger and faster South Korea-U.S. combined deterrence and can only deepen North Korea’s international isolation. [Our] government is maintaining constant readiness to strongly and effectively respond to any kind of North Korean provocation.” The government said.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff also declared in a statement that both the US and South Korea have launched two surface-to-surface missiles in response to North Korea’s tests and show their striking capabilities.
Japanese Prime Minister Nobuo Kishi also called the launches “an act of provocation and absolutely impermissible.”
Meanwhile, reports later revealed that the US president has already been notified.
The White House also revealed that South Korea national security adviser Kim Sung-han and U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan have already spoken on the phone, condemning North Korea’s recent launches.
“They both condemned [North Korea’s] destabilizing ballistic missile tests and committed to continue building on their close coordination. Mr. Sullivan also reaffirmed the United States’ steadfast commitment to the defense of [South Korea],” the White House said in a statement.
