The Washington Post reported Tuesday (23), citing sources familiar with the matter, that North Korea had test-fired several short-range missiles over the weekend after criticizing the U.S.-South Korean joint military exercises last week, in what was seen as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s first direct challenge to U.S. President Joe Biden.
U.S. defense officials have warned in recent weeks that intelligence suggests North Korea could test-fire missiles, including modified intercontinental missiles, in the near future, while Kim Jong Un’s sister Kim Yo-jong warned Biden last week in response to the U.S.-South Korean military exercises this month, on the eve of the “2+2” security talks between the United States and South Korea. Don’t make trouble or you won’t be able to sleep peacefully for the next four years.” The Biden Administration is reviewing its policy toward North Korea, but has yet to outline a concrete response to the North Korean nuclear threat, and analysis suggests that North Korea’s test launch this Time has put new pressure on the U.S. to develop a strategy to deal with the North Korean nuclear threat.
Washington-based arms control groups are concerned that North Korea is likely to conduct more arms tests only in the coming days, and that the U.S. has an urgent need to re-engage with North Korea given that Pyongyang is accumulating more plutonium elements for nuclear weapons.
Reports indicate that U.S. officials discovered that North Korea had tested intercontinental missiles through intelligence-gathering efforts abroad. In the past, North Korea has usually praised the missile after a test launch, but after this test launch, there was no public comment, which confused both U.S. and South Korean officials. The State Department did not respond to the news of the test launch.
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