On Wednesday, the United States issued a statement strongly condemning North Korea’s recent ballistic projectile launch and called on Pyongyang to cease its destabilizing actions and engage in negotiations.
National Security Council spokesperson Adam Hodge stated that the launch constituted a blatant violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions and unnecessarily heightened tensions while posing a risk to regional security.
South Korea’s military reported that North Korea had launched a long-range ballistic missile in a lofted trajectory from the Pyongyang area around 10:00 am (0100 GMT).
This missile launch followed North Korea’s warning to the United States regarding spy planes that violated its airspace.
Current relations between the two Korean countries have faced setbacks, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un calling for increased weapon development, including tactical nuclear weapons.
Hodge emphasized that the latest test launch demonstrated North Korea’s prioritization of unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs over the well-being of its people. He urged all countries to condemn these violations and called on North Korea to engage in serious negotiations.
While diplomacy remained a possibility, Hodge stressed that Pyongyang must immediately halt its destabilizing actions and opt for diplomatic engagement. He underscored that the United States would take all necessary measures to ensure its security and that of its allies, South Korea and Japan.
Earlier, North Korea had accused the United States of violating its airspace through surveillance flights and warned that it might shoot down such planes. Additionally, North Korea’s Ministry of National Defense spokesperson condemned the US plan to deploy a nuclear missile submarine near the Korean peninsula, referring to the flights by US spy aircraft as provocative.
In a statement released by the official Korean Central News Agency, the spokesperson expressed concerns about the possibility of accidents in the East Sea, stating that the situation could lead to a downing of a US Air Force reconnaissance plane.
North Korea further criticized the US plan to deploy strategic nuclear assets, viewing it as blatant nuclear blackmail and a grave threat to global and regional security. The statement from Pyongyang emphasized that the actions of the US would determine whether an extreme situation leading to a nuclear conflict would emerge on the Korean peninsula, holding the US accountable for any sudden developments.
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