The US State Department condemned North Korea’s recent short-range ballistic missile launch and called for a return to dialogue and a diplomatic solution. It was also emphasized that the joint training with South Korea is a defensive and routine exercise. Reporter Jo Sang-jin reports.
On the 10th, the State Department repeatedly expressed its intention to condemn North Korea’s recent short-range ballistic missile launch.
[국무부 대변인] “The United States condemns the DPRK’s ballistic missile launches. These launches are in violation of multiple United Nations Security Council Resolutions and pose a threat to the DPRK’s neighbors and the international community.”
A State Department spokesperson said this in response to VOA’s request for comment on North Korean media’s release of photos of a short-range ballistic missile launched on the 9th and announcing that it was aimed at a hypothetical enemy target.
“These launches violate a number of UN Security Council resolutions and pose a threat to North Korea’s neighbors and the international community,” he said.
“We are committed to a diplomatic approach to North Korea and we urge North Korea to engage in dialogue,” he said.
[국무부 대변인] “We remain committed to a diplomatic approach to the DPRK and call on the DPRK to engage in dialogue. Our commitments to the defense of the Republic of Korea and Japan remain ironclad.”
He also emphasized that “our commitment to the defense of Korea and Japan remains ironclad.”
A spokesperson for the State Department also responded to the question, “What effect do you think North Korea’s provocation will have on the Freedom Shield joint exercise between the US and South Korea, which will be held from the 13th?” daily training”.
[국무부 대변인] “Our exercises with the ROK are longstanding, defensive, and routine. The United States harbors no hostile intent towards the DPRK. The United States is committed to the security of the ROK and our combined defense posture in accordance with the U.S.-ROK Alliance.”
“The United States has no hostile intentions toward North Korea,” he said. “The United States is committed to South Korea’s security and combined defense posture under the US-ROK Alliance.”
Earlier, at a regular briefing on the 9th, State Department spokesman Ned Price condemned North Korea’s short-range ballistic missile launch that day and pointed out that it poses a threat to North Korea’s neighbors in the international community.
[녹취: 프라이스 대변인] “I think you saw from our colleagues at Indo Pacific Command that we condemn the most recent ballistic missile launch. This launch like previous launch launches in violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions. It poses a threat to the DPRK’s neighbors in the international community.”
In response to the question, “Do you believe that North Korea carried out the provocation as a protest against the joint military drills with the United States?” It is because we are in a position to fulfill our iron-clad security commitments.”
In the midst of this, Pentagon spokesman Martin Maynes said in a written inquiry by VOA on the 10th, “We are in close consultation with our allies and partners.”
[마틴 메이너스 국방부 대변인] “We are consulting closely with our allies and partners. While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies, the missile launch highlights the destabilizing impact of the DPRK’s unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs. The U.S. commitments to the defense of the Republic of Korea and Japan remain ironclad.”
“While we assessed that this did not pose an immediate threat to individuals, territories or allies of the United States, the missile launch highlights the instability caused by North Korea’s illicit weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missile programs,” he said.
“The US defense commitments to South Korea and Japan remain ironclad,” he said.
Previously, North Korea’s foreign official “Chosun Central News Agency” and the Labor Party’s official newspaper “Rodong Sinmun” reported on the 10th that Chairman Kim Jong-un observed the firepower attack training of the Hwasong Artillery Unit on the Western Front on the 9th and provided on-site guidance.
Regarding the purpose of the training, he explained, “We demonstrated our ability to respond to actual combat by firing a powerful salvo at the target waters in the West Sea, which was set up by imagining the main elements of the enemy operational airfield.
According to the Korean Central News Agency, the missile launch took place near the mouth of the Taedong River in Nampo City. In the photos released by the media, a total of six shots were simultaneously fired from six TELs, a mobile launch vehicle for a new tactical guided weapon. It contains a scene.
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff previously announced that it was believed that North Korea fired several short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) from the Nampo area toward the West Sea at around 6:20 pm on the 9th.
This is VOA News Cho Sang-jin.