Kim’s new Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Tests (ICBM) system “Serious Escalation”
On Friday, state media reported North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited the country’s Sohae Satellite Launching Ground. Pictures showed Kim, wearing a black leather jacket and sunglasses, speaking with top defense officials as they stood in front of a launch tower.
Kim announced plans to “build a number of new elements in the launching ground so as to launch the military reconnaissance satellite and other multipurpose satellites by diverse carrier rockets in the future,” said a report by the Korean Central News Agency, VOA reported.
A day earlier, Kim said the spy satellite would provide “real-time information” on the movements of “the aggression troops of the U.S. imperialism and its vassal forces” in the region. None of the reports said when such a launch would occur.
Statement by Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby on Recent DPRK Missile Tests
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) conducted two ballistic missile tests on February 26 and March 4, 2022 EST. Based on analysis of these launches, the United States Government has concluded that these launches involved a new Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) system that the DPRK is developing, which was originally unveiled during the Korean Workers Party parade on October 10, 2020. The purpose of these tests, which did not demonstrate ICBM range, was likely to evaluate this new system before conducting a test at full range in the future, potentially disguised as a space launch.
While the DPRK chose not to publicize information on the systems involved in these launches, the United States is revealing this information publicly and sharing it with other allies and partners because we believe that the international community must speak in a united voice to oppose the further development and proliferation of such weapons by the DPRK. The United States strongly condemns these launches, which are a brazen violation of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions, needlessly raise tensions and risk destabilizing the security situation in the region.
Dr. Jeffrey Lewis@ArmsControlWonk North Korea may have been testing a “post boost vehicle” (also called a “bus”) used to deliver multiple nuclear warheads from a big ICBM like the Hwasong-17.
Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman spoke with Republic of Korea (ROK) First Vice Foreign Minister Choi Jong Kun and Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Mori Takeo today to discuss shared concerns about the DPRK’s WMD and ballistic missile programs. They also discussed the importance of unified action to hold Russia accountable for Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine.
Deputy Secretary Sherman strongly condemned the DPRK’s recent ballistic missile launches, which brazenly violated multiple UN Security Council resolutions and were a serious escalation by the DPRK. She underscored the ironclad U.S. commitment to the defense of our allies, the ROK and Japan. The Deputy Secretary reaffirmed U.S. commitment to the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and continued efforts to seek diplomacy with the DPRK.
While the United States remains committed to a diplomatic approach, we will continue to take all necessary measures to ensure the security of the United States and our allies. Earlier this week, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command ordered intensified surveillance activity in the Yellow Sea, as well as enhanced readiness among our ballistic missile defense forces in the region. Our commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea and Japan remains ironclad. We have been and will continue to coordinate closely with our allies and partners to address the threats posed by the DPRK and to advance our shared objective of the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
In Iraq: Iran has claimed responsibility for a missile barrage that struck early Sunday near a sprawling U.S. consulate complex in the northern Iraqi city of Irbil, reportedly in retaliation for an Israeli strike in Syria that killed two members of its Revolutionary Guard.