North Korea has continued to defy consideration to freeze production and test of weapons of mass destruction, the latest being the launch of Hwasong-12 ballistic missile.
The country had nursed the same weapon it threatened to target the U.S. territory of Guam.
The launch of the intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) was first reported by South Korean and Japanese authorities on Sunday.
It was the seventh test conducted by North Korea this month and the first time a nuclear-capable missile of that size has been launched since 2017.
The United States is concerned North Korea’s escalating missile tests could be precursors to resumed tests of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and vowed an unspecified response “designed to show our commitment to our allies,” a senior U.S. official told reporters in Washington. read more
“It’s not just what they did yesterday, it’s the fact that this is coming on the heels of quite a significant number of tests in this month,” the official said, while urging Pyongyang to join direct talks with no preconditions.
North Korea has said it is open to diplomacy, but that Washington’s overtures are undermined by its support for sanctions and joint military drills and arms buildups in South Korea and the region.
