Earlier today, North Korea has fired a Hwasong-12 missile that flew over Hokkaido Island before crashing into the North Pacific Ocean.
North Korea has conducted a series of missile tests recently but this is the first time it has fired a ballistic missile over Japan.
The missile that landed over 2,500 km south of Japan’s capital Tokyo is being seen as a warning sign from Kim Jong Un of retaliatory strikes if Japan and US make a move. (indianexpress.com)
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called an “unprecedented and grave threat” threat to his country and trump vowed to be ‘100 per cent with Japan’.
Early analysis of the launch suggests the missile:
- flew a distance of more than 2,700km (1,678 miles)
- was likely a Hwasong-12, a newly developed intermediate range weapon
- reached a maximum altitude of about 550km (342 miles), lower than most previous North Korean tests
- fell into the North Pacific Ocean 1,180km off the Japanese coast after breaking into three pieces
Donald Trump realises that the threat to fire missiles at Guam is not a bluff anymore.
"Alas, Pyongyang has demonstrated that its threats to the U.S. base on Guam are not a bluff," Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the upper house of parliament's international affairs committee, said on social media. (in.reuters.com)
US President Donald Trump has agreed to increase pressure on North Korea providing assurance to the allies in the region.
"We must immediately hold an emergency meeting at the United Nations, and further strengthen pressure against North Korea," Abe told reporters after a 40-minute phone call with Trump. (asianage.com).
Both U.S. and South Korea are also considering imposing tougher sanctions on Pyongyang. Abe also called for cooperation from neighboring nations of China and Russia. Abe said, “We will cooperate with Japan, the US and South Korea. We will also reach out to China, Russia and the international community and apply strong pressure on North Korea to change their policy.”
In response, South Korea has dropped eight heavy bombs near the border it shares with North Korea as per the orders from President Moon Jae-in. Four 15-K fighters have been used to drop MK-84 multi-purpose bombs.
Such activities by North Korea increase tensions among the foreign nations and adversely impact world peace.