This past Thursday at 10:48am, North Korea fired a missile from the eastern city of Wonsan. It hit "an estimated altitude of 29 miles, traveling 149 miles before splashing into the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan." In a statement on Thursday, North Korea's Foreign Minister, Choe Son Hui, cited North Korea launched it in response to the summit between the US, South Korea and Japan. This summit was to bolster US "security presence in the region with its allies South Korea and Japan." The Foreign Minister said this would "bring the situation on the Korean Peninsula to an 'unpredictable phase.'"On Sunday, President Biden met with his counterparts in South Korea and Japan and insured them that they had the support of the US and they would be defended and supported by Washington's full range of capabilities including nuclear arms. So far this year, North Korea has launched 30 test missiles which is the most that it has launched in a single year. The Foreign Minister claimed these tests are "legitimate and just military counteractions." However, the US, South Korea, and Japan have all said their tests were also defensive. North Korea did launch an intercontinental ballistic missile and a ballistic missile that flew south and of the maritime boarder and set off air-strike sirens in South Korea. President Biden then met with the President of China, Xi Jinping, to see if he could aid in the discussion to talk North Korea out of testing these missiles. The Biden administration has reached out to the administration in North Korea to discuss the current situation but they have not responded to the invite.
By: Sarah Hein
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