Kim’s glee as missiles blast off towards Japan
IT IS a sight to gladden the heart of any ruthless dictator wanting to show off his military power.
As four missiles blast off from North Korea heading towards Japan, the watching Kim Jong-un cannot contain his delight.
North Korea’s supreme leader supervised the launch on Monday, clapping and grinning wildly as the missiles took off amid clouds of smoke and fire.
But the smile might have faded yesterday as he faced a new challenge from western powers, with the US saying it had begun deploying the first part of a controversial missile defence system in South Korea.
The Terminal High Altitude Area Defence system (Thaad) is designed to shoot down incoming warheads and protect against threats from North Korea. Plans to deploy the sys- tem within the year have angered not only North Korea but also China and Russia which see the system’s powerful radars as a security threat.
China responded quickly, saying it would take ‘necessary measures’ to protect itself, and warning that the US and South Korea should be prepared to bear the consequences.
North Korea was widely condemned for launching the four ballistic missiles on Monday, three of which landed in waters Japan claims as its ‘ exclusive economic zone’. The UN has banned North Korea from carrying out any missile tests.
The launch was said to be in response to the annual military exercises held between the US and South Korea.
The move to begin installing the US defence system came hours after North Korea broke international sanctions by launching the missiles.
Washington and Seoul say the system is defensive and is not meant to be a threat to Beijing or Moscow. The US military said Thaad can intercept and destroy short and medium-range ballistic missiles during the last part of their flight.
Admiral Harry Harris, head of the US Pacific Command, said: ‘Continued provocative actions by North Korea, to include yesterday’s launch of multiple mis- siles, only confirm the prudence of our alliance decision last year to deploy Thaad to South Korea.’ However, some critics in South Korea have said the security benefits of Thaad would be offset by worsened relations with China and Russia.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said: ‘ China firmly opposes the deployment of Thaad. We will definitely be taking necessary measures to safeguard our own security interest. All consequences from that will be borne by the US and South Korea.
‘We once again strongly urge the relevant sides to stop the process of deployment and refrain from going further down that wrong path.’
Russia has supported China’s opposition to the system. Analysts have said Russia and China could deploy missiles with manoeuvrable warheads to overwhelm the Thaad system.
A South Korean defence ministry spokesman said the equipment that arrived in the country included launchers.
‘Intercept and destroy’