Blinken and Seoul condemn North Korean missile launch – Observer

The head of US diplomacy and his South Korean counterpart, Cho Tae-yul, condemned this Monday the launch of a ballistic missile by North Korea, just as Antony Blinken arrived in Seoul.

“We condemn the missile launches by the DPRK [República Popular Democrática da Coreia, a sigla oficial da Coreia do Norte] even today, another violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions“, said the American Secretary of State, in a joint press conference with Cho.

North Korea launched a ballistic missile towards the Sea of ​​Japan, which would have landed at around 12:12 pm local time (4:12 am in Lisbon) outside Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone, the Japanese Defense Ministry said in a statement. rede social X.

1.China appears to have launched nine ballistic missiles today from around 3:00 pm to just after 4:00 pm.
It is estimated that five of the bombs fell within Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). https://t.co/GIqSsRacBr pic.twitter.com/I2Nb4V6knG

— Ministry of Defense・Self-Defense Forces (@ModJapan_jp) August 4, 2022

The Japanese government formed a special team to collect information and study possible damage, said Executive spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi.

“North Korea launched an unknown ballistic missile towards the East Sea [o nome dado na península coreana ao mar do Japão]”, informed the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) of South Korea.

The JCS added that the missile was fired from an area near the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, but did not reveal further details as it was still awaiting the results of an analysis of the launch.

Os South Korean military has stepped up surveillance in preparation for possible additional launches and are sharing information about the missile with the United States and Japan, the JCS added.

This is North Korea’s first missile test since a salvo of short-range ballistic missiles launched on November 6, just hours before the US presidential election.

Last week, North Korea tested what it said was a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile, the most advanced in Pyongyang’s arsenal.

A visita de Blinken It is part of a tour, probably his last, that will also take the diplomat to Japan and France, according to a statement from the US State Department released on Friday.

In South Korea, the note also reads, Blinken intends to “reaffirm the unbreakable alliance” between the two countries and discuss ways to “strengthen fundamental work to promote a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region”.

South Korea is a crucial ally of Washington in the region, but the country has been plunged into political chaos since President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law on December 3.

Yoon was removed from office by the South Korean Parliament on December 14 and is awaiting a decision from the Constitutional Court by June on his reinstatement or definitive dismissal.