“Serious escalation”
US: North Korea tests new intercontinental ballistic missile system
According to Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, the US assumes that North Korea is developing a new missile system. Photo: Andrew Harnik/AP/dpa
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North Korea’s missile tests have repeatedly caused unrest in the region. While the country itself is talking about the development of an earth observation satellite, the US is announcing the consequences.
According to the US government, North Korea’s latest missile tests are related to Pyongyang’s work on a new intercontinental missile system.
US Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby said in Washington that after analyzing the ballistic missile launches in late February and early March, it was assumed that it was a new intercontinental ballistic missile system that North Korea was developing. The tests would not have taken place at full range. The purpose was probably “to evaluate this new system before a full-range test is carried out in the future”.
US government speaks of violation of UN resolution
A senior US official called the tests a “serious escalation” by North Korea. “These launches are a brazen violation of several UN Security Council resolutions.” In response, the US Treasury Department will announce new sanctions against North Korea this Friday. “There will be a number of other measures in the coming days,” announced the US government representative, without becoming more specific. The Pentagon also said the US Indo-Pacific Command this week ordered increased intelligence reconnaissance activities in the Yellow Sea — as well as an increased readiness of ballistic missile defense forces in the region.
North Korea recently caused unrest again with missile tests in the region. According to its neighbors South Korea and Japan, the isolated country fired a ballistic missile toward the open sea in early March. North Korea itself spoke of another important test in the development of an earth observation satellite. According to information from Japan and South Korea, North Korea had already launched a suspected ballistic missile at the end of February and later spoke of a test for satellite development.