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North Korea fired a second ballistic missile at sea on Sunday ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit to the South Korean capital.
Kim Jong Un’s regime fired its first missile off its east coast on Saturday as the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier entered the region. The country frequently uses missile tests as a show of force. Harris will travel to Seoul later this week as the US and South Korean militaries hold joint exercises.
Prior to Saturday’s launch, North Korea had not fired a ballistic missile since June. Sunday’s launch was relatively short-range, with South Korea tracking the missile as it traveled just under 400 miles at a speed of Mach 5, according to Reuters.
“The launch of a ballistic missile by North Korea is a serious provocative act that threatens the peace and security of the Korean Peninsula and the international community,” South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Sunday. a statement.
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The US military also issued a statement condemning Saturday’s launch. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Kim Seung-kyum and Commander of US Forces Korea Paul LaCamera have also been in contact about the launch, according to Reuters.
“We are aware of the ballistic missile launch and are consulting closely with our allies and partners,” the United States said. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement. “While we have assessed this event as not posing an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies, the missile launch highlights the destabilizing impact of America’s illegal WMD and ballistic missile programs. the DPRK. American commitments to the defense of the Republic of Korea and Japan remain rock solid.”
Harris’ visit to Asia will see him meeting South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol as well as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The talks will focus on regional security, particularly that of Taiwan in the face of Chinese aggression.
On Sunday, Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada echoed condemnations from the United States and South Korea, calling North Korea’s frequent launches this year “unprecedented.”
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“North Korea’s action poses a threat to the peace and security of our country, the region and the international community and to do this while the invasion of Ukraine is unfolding is unforgivable.” he declared.