North Korea has fired off a test missile which reportedly has exploded according to reports from South Korean officials. The news comes hours before United States Vice President Pence is set to arrive in South Korea for meetings with officials in the tension filled region of Asia.
Over recent days, a battle of words between North Korea and the United States has grown. North Korea today paraded off a major arsenal of the country’s military might as the celebrations on the 105th birthday of Kim Il Sung, the late countries founder and the grandfather of the current North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
It is common for North Korea to seek to demonstrate its growing military might on the birthday of the country’s founder. Over recent times, under the leadership of Kim Jong Un, the country appears focused on developing mid to long range rockets which would be capable of firing nuclear weapons at the United States.
While the war between North and South Korea officially halted in the 1950s, the 38th Parallel which is a demilitarized area keeps the two sides apart. However there are often growing tensions between the two states.
The development of rocket, and nuclear weapon capacity has concerned Western nations, and China who has sought to keep tensions in the region at a minimum.
United States President Donald J. Trump tweeted, “I have great confidence that China will properly deal with North Korea. If they are unable to do so, the U.S., with its allies, will! U.S.A.”
A spokesman for the General Staff of the Korean People’s Army (KPA) issued a statement on April 14 as regards the extremely dangerous situation prevailing on the Korean peninsula due to the Trump administration’s reckless military provocation. “The Trump administration of the US began to disclose its brigandish nature timed to coincide with Key Resolve and Foal Eagle nuclear war games now under way in across south Korea, the statement said, and went on:
“The DPRK policy shaped by the Trump administration is first to put high-intensity sanctions and pressure together with someone, second to constantly keep tactical nuclear weapons deployed in south Korea and third to launch an independent military action aimed at “beheading operation” against the leadership of the DPRK and “pre-emptive strike”.
“In actuality, the Trump administration, which made a surprise cruise guided missile strike at Syria on April 6, has entered the path of open threat and blackmail against the DPRK, describing it as “a strong warning message” to it.
“The US State secretary, Defence secretary and other officials concerned with security of the US are openly crying out more often than not for launching an independent military action against the DPRK.
“Under the prevailing situation where the Trump administration’s serious military hysteria has reached a dangerous phase which can no longer be overlooked, the KPA General Staff re-clarifies its principled stand as follows upon authorization:
1. All the brigandish provocative moves of the US in the political, economic and military fields pursuant to its hostile policy toward the DPRK will thoroughly be foiled through the toughest counteraction of the army and people of the DPRK.
2. Our toughest counteraction against the US and its vassal forces will be taken in such a merciless manner as not to allow the aggressors to survive.
3. Under the prevailing grave situation, the US has to come to its senses and make a proper option for the solution of the problem.”
