North Korea has launched its most advanced long-range missile, according to South Korean authorities, defying UN restrictions. The launch of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) received immediate condemnation from the United States. It landed west of Hokkaido in Japan. This comes after defense officials from South Korea and the United States met last week to update plans on how to respond to a nuclear attack by Kim Jong-un. Pyongyang had promised to take “more offensive countermeasures” in response.
North Korea Launches Missile That Could Hit the US
North Korea launched the long-range missile on Monday morning, around 08:24 local time from the Pyongyang area. South Korean and Japanese officials reported that the missile traveled for 73 minutes, covering approximately 1,000 kilometers. Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) have the range necessary to reach the American continent. Monday’s launch is the fifth successful ICBM launch by North Korea this year.
South Korea, Japan, and the United States quickly condemned the missile test on Monday, saying it violated U.N. Security Council resolutions and would make the Korean Peninsula less secure. Tensions between North and South Korea rose last month when Pyongyang successfully launched a spy satellite into space, also in violation of U.N. sanctions.
What Will Happen Between North Korea and South Korea?
The South Korean government responded by partially suspending a military agreement with North Korea intended to limit military activity along the border and reduce the likelihood of clashes. Pyongyang subsequently withdrew from the agreement completely. North Korea has since rearmed its soldiers in previously disarmed areas of the Demilitarized Zone that separates its territory from the South.
Last week, South Korea’s national security adviser, Kim Tae-hyo, said he expected North Korea to launch an ICBM missile sometime in December. On Monday, South Korean national security officials confirmed that the ICBM launched was a solid-fuel missile. These missiles can be fired with less warning, as they do not need to be refueled before launch. In July, North Korea tested its Hwasong-18 missile after a successful first flight in April.
North Korea and the United States Factor
Kim Jong-un’s government is also working on developing a new solid-fuel medium-range ballistic missile. Last month he claimed to have successfully tested the engine but said the missile had not yet been successfully launched. As North Korea continues to refine and increase its nuclear weapons arsenal, South Korea and the United States are stepping up their defense in the region.
At a meeting in Washington on Friday, officials updated their contingency plans for how to respond to a possible North Korean nuclear attack. Both countries also agreed to simulate the use of nuclear weapons in their military exercises next summer.
At the same time, North Korea is strengthening its ties with China and Russia. On Monday, its officials met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. Although other countries were quick to condemn Monday’s launch, Wang Yi expressed China’s support for Pyongyang. According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of that power, China and North Korea “have always supported and trusted each other.”
Since May 2022, North Korea has been able to test weapons with few consequences, as both China and Russia have voted against imposing new sanctions in the UN Security Council.
This story was written in Spanish by Miguel Fernandez in Cultura Colectiva News
