This fourth shot in a week comes at a time when Seoul and Washington have been conducting their most important joint military exercises for five years.
The world with AFP
North Korea pulled a short-range ballistic missile on Sunday, March 19, according to the South Korean army. This is his fourth demonstration of force in a week when Seoul and Washington have been conducting their most important joint military exercises for five years.
The South Korean army staff assured that it had detected at 11:05 am (3:05 a.m. in Paris) a short-range ballistic missile from the surroundings of the Tongchang-Ri area, in the province From the northern Pyongan (in the northwest of the country) to the Japan Sea. “Our army is completely ready, in close cooperation with the United States,” he added.
American and South Korean information analyzes the projectile, which has stolen from 800 kilometers, said the joint staff (JCS) in a press release, describing this launch of “serious provocation” in violation of the sanctions of ‘United Nations Organization.
Tokyo also confirmed the shot while condemning it “vehemently” through his embassy in Beijing, the Vice Deputy Minister of Defense, Toshiro Ino.
told the press.
Pyongyang had proceeded on Thursday to a shot from his intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-17, the most powerful of his arsenal, in the presence of the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his daughter Ju-Ae, and just Before a visit to Japan by South Korean President Yoon Seok-Youl. Cold for years due to historic litigation, the two neighbors have taken up a tongue at the highest level and decided to present a united front against North Korea.
increasing threat
This second ICBM test carried out by Pyongyang this year was presented by North Korea as a response to “frantic” military exercises in South and United States. Seoul has been leading his largest military maneuvers to five years with Washington since Monday, which is supposed to strengthen their cooperation in reaction to the growing threat of the North. Called “Freedom Shield”, they must last until March 23.
These exercises make Pyongyang furious, who perceives them as rehearsals to an invasion of his territory and regularly promises a “overwhelming” response. They “come closer to an unforgivable red line”, said the official North Korean KCNA agency about them on Saturday.
This shot itself occurred itself after the launch on Tuesday of two ballistic missiles of short range and that, on March 12, of two strategic cruise missiles from a submarine. Experts had warned that it was likely that North Korea will take the pretext of these maneuvers to draw more missiles and perhaps even carry out a nuclear test, which would be the seventh in its history, the first since 2017.
In 2022, North Korea declared “irreversible” its status of nuclear power and Kim Jong-un called to increase “exponentially” the country’s military arsenal, including in tactical nuclear weapons. Earlier this month, the leader ordered the army to intensify his own maneuvers for a “real war”.