Ahead of the meeting in Seoul between the presidents of South Korea and the U.S., Pyongyang launched several short-range ballistic missiles toward the sea off the eastern coast of the country, South Korean military officials said, DW reports.
North Korea launched several ballistic missiles in a northeastern direction, according to a statement from the Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea on Wednesday, October 22. Seoul clarified that it "detected several projectiles, presumably short-range ballistic missiles." This was the first launch of this kind since the new president of South Korea, Yoon Suk-yeol, took office in June. The previous ballistic launch by North Korea occurred in May.
In turn, the new Prime Minister of Japan, Sanae Takaichi, stated that the missile launches by Pyongyang did not affect her country's security and that Tokyo is sharing information with the United States in real time, reports AFP.
The presidents of South Korea and the United States are scheduled to meet next week in Seoul at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Additionally, U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
North Korea showcased a new intercontinental missile for the first time
The leadership of North Korea, headed by Kim Jong Un, held a major military parade in Pyongyang on October 11 for the first time in two years, showcasing a new intercontinental missile. The state news agency KCNA called the "Hwasong-20" the "most powerful nuclear strategic weapon." It claims that the range of this missile could allow North Korea to strike targets on U.S. territory. In addition to the "Hwasong-20," the North Korean army presented other weapons at the parade, including hypersonic missiles.
Among the invited guests were Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia Dmitry Medvedev, and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong.
Pyongyang is providing military assistance to Moscow in its aggressive war against Ukraine. Initially, North Korea supplied Russia with missiles and artillery ammunition, and later sent thousands of soldiers who participated in battles in the Kursk region.
Kim Jong Un is open to negotiations with the U.S., but will not give up nuclear weapons
The North Korean government stated on September 21 that it is open to negotiations with the U.S. if they stop demanding that North Korea abandon its nuclear weapons. "If the United States abandons its absurd obsession with denuclearization and, recognizing reality, genuinely wants peaceful coexistence with us, then there are no reasons why we cannot achieve that," Kim Jong Un said during his speech at the Supreme People's Assembly - the country's parliament.
"The world already knows well what the United States does after forcing a country to give up its nuclear weapons," KCNA quoted him as saying. "We will never give up our nuclear weapons."
Kim Jong Un also stated that he "will have nothing to do" with the authorities of South Korea. At the same time, he mentioned that he has "warm memories" of U.S. President Donald Trump. Kim and Trump met three times during the Republican's first term in the White House.
Leave a comment