Washington calls for stronger sanctions against North Korea after missile fire – 05/26/2022 at 00:05

The United States announced on Wednesday its intention to toughen sanctions against North Korea, after the regime of Kim Jong Un fired a volley of missiles, including probably its largest intercontinental ballistic missile.

The launches took place a few hours after the departure from the region of American President Joe Biden, who came to Asia in particular to reaffirm his support for Seoul and Tokyo in the face of the nuclear threat from Pyongyang.

In addition, « tests of a nuclear detonation device in preparation for a seventh nuclear test » have been detected, » said Kim Tae-hyo, first deputy director of South Korea’s National Security Bureau, adding that a nuclear test could be imminent.

Seoul said at least three missiles were fired from Sunan, a Pyongyang suburb, toward the Sea of ​​Japan at 6 a.m. (2100 GMT), 6:37 a.m. and 6:42 a.m.

« The first launch was deemed to be that of the new ICBM, the Hwasong-17 » – the largest intercontinental ballistic missile that North Korea has ever unsuccessfully attempted to test – Kim Tae-hyo said.

This salvo provoked in response missile fire and the mobilization of American and South Korean fighter planes, the two countries denouncing the continuous « provocations » of the North Korean regime.

Washington will ask for a vote at the UN to toughen sanctions against North Korea, which should take place « in the coming days » according to a senior American official.

The latter also noted that a 2017 Security Council resolution, adopted unanimously at the time, called for additional sanctions for North Korea in the event of an intercontinental ballistic missile launch.

– « Provocation » –

Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his South Korean and Japanese counterparts « strongly condemned the DPRK’s ballistic missile launches which constitute a flagrant violation of numerous UN Security Council resolutions ». said Ned Price, the spokesman for American diplomacy, using an abbreviation of the official name of North Korea.

« The first ballistic missile (the alleged ICBM) had a range of about 360 kilometers and an altitude of about 540 kilometers, » the South Korean general staff said in a statement.

The second « disappeared at an altitude of 20 kilometres » and the third – presumed to be a short-range ballistic missile – flew about 760 kilometers at an altitude of around 60 kilometres.

Japan’s Defense Ministry said one of the ballistic missiles followed « an irregular trajectory ».

Pyongyang is working on technology to maneuver the missiles after launch, including « hypersonic glide technology », which would make it harder for missile defense systems to intercept.

– Imminent nuclear test –

The North Korean regime, under United Nations sanctions over its weapons programs, has ramped up missile testing in recent months, blaming the « hostile » attitude of the United States.

He tested an intercontinental ballistic missile in March for the first time since 2017. And South Korean and American intelligence services suspect him of planning an imminent nuclear test, which would be his first in five years.

The trials were « clearly timed for President Biden’s return from his visit to South Korea and Japan, » said Park Won-gon, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.

During his stay in Seoul, the American president and his new South Korean counterpart Yoon Suk-yeol, according to the latter, mentioned an intensification of their joint military exercises, as well as the deployment in the peninsula of fighter planes or missiles, « to prepare for a nuclear attack ».

Park said the North Korean missile launches were intended to show « North Korea’s objections » to the announcements.

– « Hello. Full stop » –

Shortly before leaving South Korea on Sunday for Japan, questioned by a journalist who asked him if he had a message for the North Korean leader, Joe Biden replied with a laconic: « Hello. Full stop ».

A way of making it known that Washington remains open to dialogue with North Korea, even in the absence of reciprocity.

Talks with Pyongyang have stalled since a failed summit in 2019 between Mr Kim and then-US President Donald Trump. The North Korean regime ignored all offers of dialogue made by Washington.

During his trip to South Korea, Mr. Biden also indicated that Washington had offered to provide vaccines against Covid-19 to North Korea, but had « not received a response ».

Since the beginning of May, more than three million people have been affected by « fever », according to the term used by the official media, and 68 have died from it in North Korea, according to the latest official report published on Wednesday.

The country, whose 25 million inhabitants are not vaccinated, has completely cut itself off from the world since the start of the pandemic to protect itself against the virus, but the outbreak of contamination with the Omicron variant in neighboring countries has ended up defeat this strategy.

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