North Korea claimed it launched an intercontinental ballistic missile on Friday to “strike fear into the enemies. As South Korea, Japan, and the United States decided to cooperate closely on regional security at a summit and conducted military drills nearby.
The missile was fired early on Thursday, just before South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met at a summit. Which was in part intended to strengthen security relations between the U.S. allies in the face of North Korean nuclear threats.
North Korea has increased its tit-for-tat response to ongoing U.S.-South Korean military drills. Which are the largest of their kind in years, with four missile displays in about a week.
The Biden administration is pushing to strengthen its alliance network in Asia to counter the North Korean nuclear threat and China’s growing power. As a result, it wants to improve South Korea-Japan relations, which have deteriorated recently over historical issues.
Along with their joint exercises, which started on Monday and will last until March 23, the United States and South Korea are also taking part in anti-submarine warfare training. Which started on Wednesday, alongside Japan, Canada, and India.
The Hwasong-17 missile test was reportedly overseen by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who also emphasized the need to “strike fear into the enemies” in response to what it called the “open hostility” displayed towards the North by the U.S.-South Korea drills.
The missile was launched at a steep angle to avoid North Korea’s neighbour’s territory. Traveled 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) and achieved a maximum altitude of 6,045 kilometers (3,756 miles) before coming to rest on the eastern coast of the country, according to KCNA.
The South Korean and Japanese militaries assessed the flight similarly. Indicating that the U.S. mainland is within the missile’s range.
