South Korea has reported that North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile into the sea on Sunday, amid escalating military tensions with the United States on the Korean Peninsula. Launched near Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital, the missile traveled approximately 354 miles (570 kilometers) before descending into the waters off the east coast.
According to reports by the Japanese Coast Guard cited by Reuters, the projectile landed in the sea less than 20 minutes after launch. South Korea condemned the act, branding it a flagrant breach of United Nations Security Council resolutions that prohibit North Korea from utilizing ballistic missile technology.
In the wake of the launch, North Korea’s Defense Ministry released a statement, which conspicuously made no reference to the ballistic missile. Instead, the ministry’s communication lambasted the United States for what it termed “reckless military threats,” specifically pointing to the deployment of strategic bombers and nuclear-powered submarines to the region by the U.S.
A ministry spokesperson was quoted declaring a staunch defense against any efforts to incite a nuclear war by the U.S. and its allied forces, promising to uphold peace and security on the Korean peninsula through decisive neutralization of such provocations.
Pyongyang also voiced strong opposition to the recent inclusion of nuclear operation scenarios in joint military exercises between the U.S. and South Korea. The North described this move as a direct intimidation with nuclear implications and announced it would devise “offensive countermeasures” in response.
Hours preceding North Korea’s missile test, a joint U.S.-South Korean statement had issued a stern warning to Pyongyang, stating that any nuclear aggression would be met with swift and potent retaliation, signifying an end to the leadership of Kim Jong Un, as reported by Reuters.
Throughout 2022, North Korea has engaged in an intensive series of missile tests, exceeding 100 launches. The tests coincide with international focus on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has provided North Korea with the opportunity to accelerate its nuclear military program—an initiative that its leader Kim Jong Un considers vital for the nation’s defense and continued sovereignty.