Wednesday, the Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea said in a statement that North Korea had launched a ballistic missile into the ocean, but provided no more information, such as its range.
The launch occurred hours after North Korea issued a veiled threat to use nuclear weapons to force the United States and South Korea to “pay the most horrible price in history” — an escalation of its fiery rhetoric directed at the ongoing large-scale military exercises between its rivals.
Pak Jong Chon, a secretary of the ruling Workers’ Party and a close confidant of leader Kim Jong Un, referred to the ongoing military drills between South Korea and the United States as “aggressive and provocative” in a statement.
North Korea has argued that its recent weapons tests were meant as a warning to the United States and South Korea in response to their series of joint military drills, which it views as an invasion rehearsal, including this week’s exercises involving approximately 240 warplanes.
Tuesday, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry criticized the United States for expanding joint military exercises with South Korea, which it claims are preparation for a potential invasion, and warned of “stronger follow-up measures.”
Tuesday, the White House responded to North Korea’s saber-rattling by reiterating that military exercises with South Korea are routine.
“We reject the notion that they are provocative in any way. We have made it abundantly clear that we have no hostile intentions toward the DPRK, and we have urged them to engage in serious and sustained diplomacy “Tuesday, White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson referred to North Korea as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. “The DPRK remains unresponsive. Gleichzeitig, we will continue to work closely with our allies and partners to restrict North Korea’s ability to advance its illegal weapons programs and threaten regional stability.”
This year, North Korea has conducted a record number of weapons demonstrations, launching over 40 ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles under development and an intermediate-range missile over Japan. These tests have been accompanied by an escalating nuclear doctrine that permits preemptive nuclear attacks in vaguely defined crisis situations.