North Korea fired two new short-range high-tech ballistic missiles during a 1st missile test since Kim and Trump agreed to revive denuclearization dialogues.
Seoul’s joint chief of staff (JCS) declared the two missiles were test-fired from the coastal region. Both the missiles that North Korea fired on Thursday projected some 600km, an official at South Korea’s defense ministry revealed.
Ballistic missile tests would be a breach of UN Security Council resolutions that banned North Korean to develop missile technology. North Korea ignores the restriction as a liberation of its self-defense right.
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) did not mention Trump or the United States, but it said Kim criticized South Korean administration as it is going forward for joint military exercises, which is obviously going to conduct with U.S. military.
“We cannot but develop nonstop super-powerful weapon systems to remove the potential and direct threats to the security of our country that exist in the South,” Kim said, according to KCNA.
He blamed Seoul for “double-dealing” as they claim we support peace but continue with the procurement of new weapons and conducting military drills, at the same time.
There are approximate to 30,000 U.S. troops deployed in South Korea and their annual activities with South Korean soldiers have worried Pyongyang.
South Korea, which supported the efforts made by North Korea and the US to end years of hostility, on Thursday urged North Korea to refrain from the actions that are immune to relieve tension between Washington and Pyongyang and regarded the recent missile test as a possible military threat.
The U.S. State Department urged Pyongyang to stop escalating further tensions and said it still hoped for working-level dialogues on North Korea’s denuclearization.
“We urge no more provocations, and that all parties should abide by their obligations under (United Nations Security Council) resolutions,” said US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus.