North Korea counters US bomber deployment with ballistic missile launch.
North Korea Responds to US Bomber Deployment by Launching Ballistic Missile
Amid escalating tensions, North Korea launched a ballistic missile towards its eastern waters on Wednesday, just hours after the United States flew a long-range bomber to the Korean Peninsula for a joint military training exercise.
The South Korean military confirmed the launch, but provided no further details on the missile’s range or capabilities.
Japan’s Defense Ministry also reported that North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile.
The United States had deployed a B-1B bomber to the Korean Peninsula earlier in the day as part of field exercises with South Korea. These exercises are being conducted alongside the annual U.S.-South Korean computer-simulated command post exercise called “Ulchi Freedom Shield,” which began on August 21.
North Korea perceives these military drills as a rehearsal for invasion.
The deployment of U.S. B-1B bombers is particularly sensitive for North Korea, as these aircraft have the capacity to carry a significant payload of conventional weapons.
This marks the tenth flyover of U.S. bombers on the Korean Peninsula this year.
The South Korean Defense Ministry stated that the B-1B bomber participated in aerial drills with other U.S. and South Korean warplanes in waters off the Korean Peninsula’s west coast. The drills aimed to demonstrate the combined defense posture of the two countries and the U.S.’ commitment to South Korea’s defense.
North Korea’s state media reported that leader Kim Jong Un called for the military to be constantly prepared for combat to counteract plans by its rivals to invade. In response, South Korea, the U.S., and Japan mobilized naval destroyers for a trilateral missile defense exercise off South Korea’s southern Jeju island.
Kim emphasized in a speech on Navy Day that the waters surrounding the Korean Peninsula have become unstable due to U.S.-led hostilities, with the risk of a nuclear war, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.
Since the beginning of 2022, North Korea has conducted over 100 weapons tests, many of which involved nuclear-capable missiles designed to target the U.S., South Korea, and Japan. Experts believe that North Korea aims to leverage its increased military capabilities to secure greater concessions from the U.S.
In response to North Korea’s testing spree, the U.S. and South Korea have expanded their drills, resumed trilateral training with Japan, and increased the visibility of U.S. strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula. In July, the United States deployed a nuclear-armed submarine to South Korea for the first time in four decades.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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