North Korea has launched a ballistic missile early Tuesday, marking its second missile test in just a few days. This launch comes just hours before voters in the United States head to the polls for the presidential election. The missile was fired from North Korea’s east coast and landed in the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, according to Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Details surrounding the missile launch are still under analysis, with no further specifics provided by South Korea’s military. However, Tokyo’s government also confirmed the missile launch, labeling it a suspected ballistic missile test by Pyongyang.
This missile test follows a major intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test conducted by North Korea last Thursday, which the regime claimed was its most advanced and powerful solid-fuel ICBM. The timing of the tests coincides with growing tensions over the deployment of North Korean soldiers to Russia, a move that has drawn condemnation from the United States, South Korea, and Japan. These countries have accused North Korea of sending troops to support Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, and the South Korean government has also raised concerns over the potential for new Russian technology being exchanged for weapons and military support.
In response to North Korea’s missile activity, the United States, South Korea, and Japan conducted a joint military drill involving a U.S. B-1B bomber and fighter jets from South Korea and Japan. The exercise has further enraged North Korea, which views such joint drills as provocative rehearsals for invasion.
Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, condemned the military drill, describing it as evidence of the “hostile and dangerous aggressive nature” of South Korea, the United States, and Japan. She emphasized that these actions validate North Korea’s continued focus on building up its nuclear arsenal and warned that any disruption of the balance of power on the Korean Peninsula could lead to war.
Experts speculate that North Korea’s recent missile tests and provocative statements may be an attempt to divert international attention from its growing ties with Russia, particularly in the lead-up to the U.S. presidential election. While North Korea denies sending troops to Russia, it maintains that any such deployment would be in accordance with international law.
The ongoing tensions highlight the broader geopolitical dynamics in the region, with South Korea, a major arms exporter, facing internal debates over whether to provide direct military aid to Ukraine—something it has traditionally refrained from due to domestic policy restrictions on supplying weapons to countries involved in active conflicts.
Sources By Agencies
