Share this with Your Friends and Family

North Korea has sent tremors through the International Community by testing a series of Ballistic missiles, raising tensions in East Asia. The latest launch came just hours after a similar incident South Korea announced, the firing of a short-range missile. This situation stirs up anxiety about North Korea’s developing nuclear capability, which has prompted swift responses from nearby countries.

Unidentified Ballistic Missile Launches

South Korea’s Alarm and International Action

As North Korea Fires Ballistic Missiles, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff on Monday said, that North Korea fired at least one unidentified Ballistic Missile toward the East Sea, which is also known as the Sea of Japan. Missile launch detected just after a late night short-range launch, adds to the increasing anxiety in the region. Japan immediately convened a meeting of the National Security Council, condemning those actions as a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions.

North Korea Fires Ballistic Missiles that are US Strikeable Long-Range Missile

Japan expresses Fears, analyzes Danger

**Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida briefs Parliament over tensions as North Korea fires ballistic missiles.**

Japan’s officials disclosed that the long-range ballistic missile fired by North Korea could in theory hit any city on US mainland. Japanese parliamentary Vice-Minister of Defense Shingo Miyake says missile flew about 1,000km with an altitude over 6k kilometers. With an effective range of over 15,000 km (dependent on trajectory & warhead size), the entirety of US territory falls within its sights. This alarming revelation led to a strong reaction from Japan, stressing the international implications of North Korea’s missile capabilities.

**Japan Vice-Minister of Defense Shingo Miyake addresing concern as North Korea fires ballistic missiles.**

Back-to-Back Launches and Growing Concerns As North Korea Fires Ballistic Missiles

US and South Korea Respond to the Provocations

North Korea’s series of missile tests in quick succession this week, including an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), prompts fears over the changing face of its nuclear threat. In response to Pyongyang’s actions, the US and South Korea have stepped up cooperation on plans for nuclear deterrence. In recent talks between senior US and South Korean officials in Washington, nuclear deterrence and contingency strategies were discussed. This is a move that has fired up North Korea’s fiery rhetoric. Positioning itself closer to Russia and China, it seems intent in trying to form its own counter-alliance against the US and other countries friendly toward Washington.

Threats to Regional Stability

The Military Drills become increasingly intense, anxiety grows as North Korea Fires Ballistic Missiles

As joint military exercises by the US and South Korea have become increasingly frequent, fired up with strategic assets like aircraft carriers and nuclear-capable bombers, a chain of North Korean responses has ensued. The regime has reacted by proclaiming new, greater threats to its existence and strengthening ties with Russia and China. On the other hand, it appears that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has entered into a kind of counter-alliance against perceived threats by meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi.

Continued Defiance and Missile Proliferation

North Korea’s Unyielding Stance

North Korea fired off an ICBM and a short-range missile, which continue the regime’s defiance of UN Security Council resolutions. Despite international anger and sanctions, Pyongyang is still advancing its missile technology. The more recent launch of a spy satellite further complicates the situation, with North Korea declaring its intention to observe US and South Korean military installations.

Conclusion: A Volatile Situation As North Korea Fires Ballistic Missiles

North Korea’s recent missile launches have raised tensions in the region and stimulated severe responses from its neighbors. Such unpredictable actions, including even an ICBM test–highlights just how difficult it is to come up with strategies for dealing with North Korea’s changing nuclear capabilities. With regional anxieties ever increasing, diplomatic Efforts and Co-operation at the international level are necessary to navigate this delicate but explosive situation.