US: North Korean missiles a risk to regional stability

Washington, Nov 18 (EFE).- The United States said the North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile launched Friday increases tension unnecessarily and poses a destabilizing risk to the security situation in the region.

In a statement, the White House called the launch a “blatant” violation of many UN Security Council resolutions and urged all countries to condemn it and call on North Korea to come to the negotiating table to have a “serious” conversation.

The Administration led by Democrat Joe Biden said the door to diplomacy is not closed, but that Pyongyang must immediately cease its destabilizing actions.

Japanese government Spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno said Friday that the North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile launched flew about 1,000 kilometers, reaching a peak of about 6,000 kilometers before falling into Japan’s special economic zone.

Both Tokyo and Seoul detected the launch of an apparently ballistic missile to the east Friday morning.

The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said the launch took place at about 10:15 (1:15 GMT) in the Sunan area, near Pyongyang International Airport, a place chosen by the regime to also launch missiles in February, March and November, although two launches were unsuccessful.

Today’s launch adds to a record 30 projectiles fired in early November by Pyongyang in response to major air maneuvers by Seoul and Washington, including another such missile that apparently misfired and crashed prematurely in the Pacific Ocean near Japan.

Tension on the peninsula is reaching unprecedented heights in the face of repeated North Korean weapons tests, allied maneuvers and the possibility that, as satellites indicate, Kim Jong-un’s regime is ready for its first nuclear test since 2017. EFE

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