In its latest show of power, North Korea fired a supposed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the waters between the Korean peninsula and Japan only hours before a landmark summit between the latter two countries.
Officials from Japan and South Korea confirmed the long-range missile launch conducted on Thursday morning. The projectile was believed to have traveled roughly 1,000 kilometers and landed in waters west of Japan.
North Korea's Latest ICBM Launch
It marks the fourth missile launch that Pyongyang has conducted in the past week, but the others have been short-range launches. The situation also comes as the United States and South Korea hold naval drills around the Korean peninsula.
These naval drills are the largest that the two allies have conducted in the last five years, and North Korea has said many times that such exercises are seen as provocative. The recent ICBM was launched at 7:10 a.m. from Pyongyang on the country's east coast, as per BBC.
In a statement, the Japanese defense ministry said the projectile was an ICBM type and noted that it flew higher than 6,000 kilometers for roughly 70 minutes. After the launch on Thursday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol ordered his nation's military to continue naval drills with their American counterparts as planned.
He noted that Pyongyang must take responsibility for its 'reckless provocations." The last time that the North fired an ICBM was less than a month ago, which resulted in a United Nations emergency meeting and G7 countries condemning the launch.
ICBMs are worrying particularly because of their immense range, which can reach the mainland United States. The ramped-up missile activity of North Korea is seen as a top agenda when President Yoon meets with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday in Tokyo.
While Japan has not confirmed receiving any damage from the missile, Hirokazu Matsuno, the nation's chief cabinet secretary, said they have delivered a protest through North Korea's embassy in Beijing, according to Reuters.
South Korea-US Naval Drills
He said the North's missile launch was a "barbaric act" that would only escalate provocation to the entire international society. Matsuno added that the Japanese government would confirm close cooperation with the South and the U.S. and would seek the complete denuclearization of North Korea.
The launch came after Monday when the South Korea-US naval drills started, dubbed "Freedom Shield 23," and would last for 11 days. Kishida added that his country would also hold a national security council meeting over North Korea's ICBM launch.
In an interview with reporters, the Japanese prime minister said that regional peace and stability is the most crucial issue for relevant nations. He argued that they must build closer cooperation with all allies and friendly countries.
North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un's regime has repeatedly warned that it would conduct an "unprecedented" response over the South Korea-U.S. naval drills. It said that such exercises were a "declaration of war" by the two nations involved, said the Washington Post.
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