North Korea launch raises alarms
Tokyo issues alerts; meeting of U.N. Security Council urged
North Korea conducted its longest-ever weapons test Tuesday, a nuclear-capable ballistic missile that flew over Japan and could reach the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam and beyond, forcing the Japanese government to issue evacuation alerts and halt trains.
The South Korean and U.S. militaries responded by launching fighter jets that fired weapons at a target off South Korea’s west coast in a show of strength against North Korea.
The North Korean missile launch was its most provocative weapons demonstration this year, as it pushes to develop a fully fledged nuclear arsenal capable of threatening the U.S. mainland and its allies with the goal of wresting concessions from those countries, some experts say.
The United States, Britain, France, Albania, Norway and Ireland called for an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council.
North Korea has test-fired about 40 missiles over about 20 different launch events this year as leader, Kim Jong Un refuses to return to nuclear diplomacy with the United States.
The United States strongly condemned North Korea’s “dangerous and reckless decision” to launch what it described as a “long-range ballistic missile” over Japan.
“The United States will continue its efforts to limit (North Korea’s) ability to advance its prohibited ballistic missile and weapons of mass destruction programs, including with allies and U.N. partners,” National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement.
The launch is the fifth round of weapons tests by North Korea in the past 10 days. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters the launch “is a reckless act and I strongly condemn it.”
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said North Korea’s “reckless nuclear provocations” would meet a stern response from the South and the broader international community.
South Korea’s Defense Ministry said the missile flew farther than any other weapon fired by North Korea.
Last month, North Korea adopted a new law authorizing the pre-emptive use of nuclear weapons in some cases, a move that showed its increasingly aggressive nuclear doctrine.