INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile that landed near Japanese waters Friday in its second major weapons test this month
that showed a potential ability to launch nuclear strikes on all of the U.S
and allies South Korea and Japan
Vice President Kamala Harris will separately meet with leaders of allies who are attending a regional forum in Bangkok to discuss North
torrid run of weapons tests aims to advance its nuclear arsenal and win greater concessions in eventual diplomacy, and the launches come as
China and Russia have opposed U.S
Japan said the ICBM appeared to have flown on a high trajectory and landed west of Hokkaido.According to South Korean and Japanese
estimates, the North Korean missile flew about 6,000-6,100 kilometers (3,600-3,790 miles) at a maximum altitude of 1,000 kilometers (620
miles).Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada told reporters the altitude suggests the missile was launched on a high angle
He said depending on the weight of a warhead to be placed on the missile, the weapon has a range exceeding 15,000 kilometers (9,320 miles),
to undermine international and regional peace and security
United States.After being briefed over the launch, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered officials to boost security cooperation with
the United States and Japan and implement unspecified deterrence steps that were previously agreed upon with the United States
Yoon also ordered officials to push for strong international condemnations and sanctions on North Korea, according to his office.North Korea
also launched an ICBM on Nov
3, but experts said that weapon failed to fly its intended flight and fell into the ocean after a stage separation
That test was believed to have involved a developmental ICBM called Hwasong-17
warheads to defeat missile defense systems
3 test showed some technological progress in the development of the Hwasong-17, given that in its earlier test in March, the missile
recent months, North Korea has performed dozens of shorter-range missile tests that it called simulations of nuclear attacks on South Korean
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the sidelines of a regional gathering in Cambodia
military presence in the region as proof of its hostility toward North Korea
It has said its recent series of weapons launches were its response to what it called provocative military drills between the United States
and South Korea.There have been concerns that North Korea might conduct its first nuclear test in five years as its next major step toward
bolstering its military capability against the United States and its allies.North Korea has been under multiple rounds of United Nations
sanctions over its previous nuclear and missile tests
But no fresh sanctions have been applied this year though it has conducted dozens of ballistic missile launches, which are banned by U.N
Washington is locked in a strategic competition with Beijing and in a confrontation with Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.Source:
This article first appeared/also appeared in https://adaderana.lk
