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North Korea launches ballistic missile on day South Korean president visits Japan

THE North Korea launched at least one intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the East Sea, or Sea of ​​Japan, today, Seoul said, hours before South Korean President Yun Seok-gil visited Tokyo.

“Our military detected the launch of a ballistic missile rocket long-range from the Sunan region to Pyongyang,” South Korea’s national defense general staff told AFP, clarifying that it was an ICBM. Japan’s defense ministry also confirmed the launch, noting on Twitter that it expected the missile to land “outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, about 550 kilometers east of the Korean peninsula.”

The Japanese Coast Guard urged vessels sailing in the area to be alert for debris at sea. It is Pyongyang’s third show of force since Sunday, recorded as the South Korea and the US is holding its largest joint military training in five years this week.

“Need for cooperation”

President Yoon and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are scheduled to meet today in Tokyo for talks that will focus primarily on North Korea’s ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs.

This summit is the first here 12 years between the two powerful neighbors, which are trying to bring the bilateral relationship, which was at a nadir due to the heavy legacy of atrocities committed by the Japanese Imperial Army during its 35 years of occupation of Korea (1910-1945), to bring about a recovery. “Korea and Japan are increasingly in need of cooperation in this period of multiple crises as North Korea’s (…) threats are escalating,” Mr. Yun said today during an interview with media, including AFP.

“We cannot allow time to be wasted by sidelining Korea-Japan relations. I believe that we must put an end to the vicious circle of mutual hostility and cooperate to defend the common interests of our countries”, he added.

Seoul and Tokyo are currently increasing their military spending and often organize joint military high schools, APE-MPE reports.

North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) on Tuesday and two strategic cruise missiles from a submarine on Sunday, hours before the start of joint US-South Korean military exercises. These gymnasiums, dubbed “Freedom Shield”, started on Monday and are expected to last ten days.

In early March, the South Korean military announced that special forces from Washington and Seoul were also organizing the joint “Teak Knife” drills, with their scenario calling for precision strikes on key facilities in North Korea.

North Korea considers the high school rehearsals an invasion of its territory and often declares that it will give an “overwhelming” response to them.

Source: News Beast

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