North Korea announced on Wednesday (20 local time) that it had successfully tested a “new type” of ballistic missile launched by submarine. According to the official news agency of the communist dictatorship, the device would have “many advanced guidance control technologies” and would have been launched from the same ship that Pyongyang used in its first submarine-launched ballistic missile tests five years ago.
In response to the launch, the United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday. Before confirming what type of projectile had been launched by North Korea, Seoul, Tokyo and Washington had already condemned the test, the latest in a series of launches carried out by Pyongyang in recent weeks.
American, Japanese and South Korean representatives met this Tuesday (19) in Seoul, in a previously scheduled meeting, to discuss security in the region.
“The United States condemns these actions and urges North Korea to refrain from any other destabilizing acts. While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to the personnel or territory of the United States or our allies, we will continue to monitor the situation. The US commitment to the defense of South Korea and Japan remains unyielding,” noted the US Indo-Pacific Command in a statement.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki underscored the “urgent need for dialogue and diplomacy” to resume talks on North Korea’s denuclearization. “Our offer to meet (with North Korean representatives) is still valid, anywhere, anytime, without pre-conditions,” he said.
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