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While the media cycle furiously churns about Trump pointing the finger for wiretapping at Obama and his administration, North Korea decided to shoot off a few missiles. Just to keep things interesting.
The missiles took off from Tongchang-ri, in northwest North Korea, and some flew 620 miles before falling into the sea between North Korea and Japan, the military said, providing no further details. Tongchang-ri is where the North’s main long-range rocket launch site is based. The country launched a rocket from there to put a satellite into orbit in February 2016.
The United States and South Korea are just starting their annual joint military exercises, which naturally gives Kim Jong Un the perfect excuse to shoot missiles toward… Japan.
#DPRK missile launch comes on morning of 6th day of US-#ROK Foal Eagle annual drill. https://t.co/z6lkAqFBD8 #Korea pic.twitter.com/hpFi5U1Y56
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) March 5, 2017
#DPRK on Saturday warned it "will never remain a passive onlooker to the new U.S. administration" and demanded end to US-#ROK joint drill.
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) March 6, 2017
Japanese gov't says closest point any of the #DPRK missiles reached to #Japan was 250km west of Akita Prefecture.
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) March 6, 2017
Monday morning launch by #DPRK of multiple ballistic missiles "clearly indicates a new threat from North Korea," says #Japan PM @AbeShinzo.
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) March 6, 2017
#ROK JCS now matches #Japan gov't info: Four missiles fired by #DPRK which flew ~1,000 km.
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) March 6, 2017
These missiles keep getting a longer reach, and 250 kilometers is uncomfortably close for a missile (a little over 155 miles). President Trump was apparently informed quickly, and then spent time talking to the Japanese government.
Marine One has just landed at @WhiteHouse. #DPRK launch came while @POTUS was still onboard Air Force One. Presumably he has been informed.
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) March 5, 2017
After arriving back @WhiteHouse @POTUS went into the Oval Office (about 7 minutes ago). #DPRK
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) March 5, 2017
Kyodo reports #Japan and US have agreed "to urge" #DPRK to stop further provocations following the Monday morning missile barrage.
— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) March 6, 2017
At some point, the United States, South Korea, Japan, and even the United Nations is going to have to decide when North Korea will be dealt with. I know President Trump has repeatedly said that he would like China to deal with North Korea, but if China is unable or unwilling to deal with Kim Jong Un, then what? It is worth remembering that the Korean War was never formally brought to an end, just to an armistice. At what point is it decided that North Korea has finally broken the peace and the war resumes? When they actually hit something?
In remarks to reporters after news of the North Korean missile launch on Monday morning, Yoshihide Suga, chief cabinet secretary to Japan’s prime minister Shinzo Abe, said the missiles appeared to have fallen into the sea in an exclusive economic zone around Japan. Mr. Suga called the missile launch a “serious threat to our security” as well as “extremely problematic behavior from the viewpoint of security of aircraft and ships as well as a clear violation of resolutions of U.N. Security Council.” He said the government had protested to North Korea. “We just cannot accept such repeated provocations,” he said.
That day when North Korea decides to do real damage with their arsenal just got a little bit closer.
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