The “Little Rocket Man” as Trump dubbed the North Korean dictator is at it again. According to data from neighboring countries, North Korea has fired multiple ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan.
Thursday evening, Japan reported the launch. Japan’s reporting was later corroborated by South Korean military officials.
South Korea recovers piece from North Korea's failed spy satellite rocket launch: 'serious defects' https://t.co/MYFSBbq3mQ
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 31, 2023
“North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile into the East Sea,” said the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff in their original report of the launch Thursday evening. Officials stated at a later time that it appeared to be at least two projectiles that North Korea launched
The missiles’ launch followed after days of collaborative military drills by South Korean and Japanese forces near the demilitarized zone.
The North Korean Ministry of National Defense responded to the drills by stating it “strongly denounces the provocative and irresponsible moves of the puppet military authorities escalating the military tension in the region despite repeated warnings, and warns them solemnly.”
Following North Korea rocket launch, U.S. reaffirms 'commitment' to defense of South Korea, Japan | Just The News https://t.co/gWupP8myQZ
— John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) November 18, 2022
Pyongyang has been known to fire test missiles into the surrounding sea in retaliation to military exercises near its territory in recent years.
The tit-for-tat mutual provocations have extremely deteriorated relationships in East Asia.
On Sunday Japan made a big move in the protection of its borders. Japan extended a standing order to shoot down any North Korean projectile that come near or within the island nation’s territory.
The Japanese Defense Ministry made the decision after Pyongyang’s previously announced window for test launching satellites ended.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un orders his officials to expand a satellite launch facility to fire a variety of rockets. The U.N. views a satellite-carrying rocket launch by North Korea as a banned test of missile technology. https://t.co/IOxkqdWl0u
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 11, 2022
The satellite rocket launched from North Korea in May put neighboring South Korea and Japan on high alert. However, the launch ultimately ended in failure.
North Korean State media reported that after losing thrust during the first two stages of the launch the rocket carrying the satellite crashed into waters off the Korean Peninsula’s western coast.
At the time of the failed launch, Pyongyang claimed that North Korean scientists were examining the cause of the failure.
