On Monday, Japan, South Korea, and the US conducted a trilateral meeting.
These meetings were designed to explore responses to North Korea’s “series” of missile tests, the fourth of which occurred this month.
A Foreign Policy Test for the Biden Administration
Democrats and the Biden administration would be wise to return to the Trump-era style of foreign policy.
During the discussion, US top diplomat for North Korea, Sung Kim, voiced worry about “the latest in a string of missile system tests by the DPRK this month,” according to a statement from US State Department official Ned Price.
North Korea’s operations are in breach of repeated UN Security Council resolutions forbidding the nation from participating in ballistic missile programs, according to Kim.
He also urged North Korea to stop its “unlawful and destabilizing acts” and restart dialogue, according to Price. The US said its offer for open conversation was “without prerequisites,” reverting to classic diplomatic tactics.
Delegates from the three allies agreed to keep working together to respond to Pyongyang’s disruptive activities.
North Korea successfully launched alleged missile systems into the East Sea from Sunan Airfield on Monday, with the fourth such launching this year, according to South Korea and Japan.
North Korea launched tactical guided missiles on Monday, state media KCNA said. The missile test – its fourth in 2022 – highlighted the country's evolving missile programs amid stalled denuclearization talks https://t.co/eAjmET81jv pic.twitter.com/Ogk8HhWea4
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 18, 2022
As per Pyongyang’s state-run Korean Central News Agency, North Korea fired two “tactical missile launchers” to ensure the precision of their weapons system; this system is currently in development.
The regime’s spokesperson claimed “two tactical directed missiles fired in the western part of [Pyongyang] successfully hit an isolated objective in the East Sea of Korea.”
As per the Japan Times, Japan’s Defence Department said on Tuesday the alleged short-range cruise missiles were solid-fuel KN-24s, which Pyongyang also launched in March 2020.
According to him, North Korea’s KN-24 missile process is similar to the US MGM-140 Army Strategic Missile System (ATACMS). It is intended to circumvent missile defenses and carry out pinpoint strikes.
Since Trump left, North Korea is ramping up the Aggression
Pyongyang previously stated the additional missile tests it conducted on January 5 and 11 were “hypersonic” weapons.
Following the tests, the Biden administration imposed its first penalties against Pyongyang on Jan. 12. It also asked the United Nations Security Council to place numerous North Korean persons and businesses on a no-fly list.
Monday's test was North Korea's fourth ballistic missile launch in under two weeks. By contrast, it took the North 10 months to conduct that many ballistic missile tests last year. https://t.co/WR7p9rH9kd
— NPR (@NPR) January 18, 2022
On January 14, North Korea conducted another test, this time firing two tactical missile launchers from a train.
Prior to the missile launch, North Korea’s Foreign Affairs Ministry published a statement criticizing the US for placing restrictions on Pyongyang. The statement was also threatening a “stronger” response if Washington continues its “combative” approach.
During a conference on Monday, UN spokeswoman Stephane Dujarric termed the North’s tests “increasingly worrying.”
The spokeswoman urged all parties to resort to discussions to reduce tensions and pursue “very verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”
