Japan, South Korea raise alarm over North Korea’s missile test

Japan and South Korea have raised alarm over ballistic missiles testing operations into the Pacific Ocean by their Asian neighbor North Korea. tthis is the fifth test in 10 days.

The latest missile was spotted by the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Japanese coast guard, and inhabitants of northern Japan were urged to seek cover. Temporary suspensions of train service were made in the northeastern Hokkaido and Aomori regions.

Fumio Kishida, the prime minister of Japan, denounced the incident as “barbaric.”

According to a statement from the presidential office, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol warned of a stern response after the launch.

The national security councils of each leader called emergency sessions.

The statement from Yoon’s office stated that the NSC “made it clear that ongoing North Korean provocations cannot be accepted and that there will be a price to pay,” adding that Seoul would seek different deterrence measures against North Korea, including tougher sanctions.

According to Tokyo and Seoul officials, the missile traveled 4,500 to 4,600 kilometers in altitude, reaching a maximum of roughly 1,000 kilometres l. Launched from the north of the nation close to the Chinese border, before it crashed into the Pacific Ocean, the weapon was in the air for almost 22 minutes.

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Yasukazu Hamada, the Dldefense minister, claimed Tokyo had not ruled out any possibilities, including the use of retaliatory capabilities, despite its claim that no action had been taken to shoot the missile down.

“North Korea’s series of actions, including its repeated ballistic missile launches, threatens the peace and security of Japan, the region, and the international community, and poses a serious challenge to the entire international community, including Japan,” a top government spokesperson Hirokazu Matsuno, said at a news conference.

With the ongoing tensions in the Pacific region between China and Taiwan, North Korea has seemingly chosen to increase the tension by firing a ballistic missile over Tokyo, the capital of Japan, which houses 23 US military bases. This provocative action by North Korea is likely due to the continuous military drill held by US, South Korea and Japan in the last few months ever since the beginning of the Taiwan-China altercation which has also led to a trade war between US and China.

The North Korean government fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea on Thursday, hours after US Vice President Kamala Harris flew home from a visit to South Korea.