North Korea has announced a test with strategic cruise missiles, in its first weapons test since Donald Trump's return to the White House, and threatened the United States with "the harshest countermeasures" if it rejects its sovereignty and security interests, as reported by Efe.
Under the supervision of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, Pyongyang tested guided cruise projectiles with the aim of "enhancing the effectiveness of strategic measures against potential enemies" and in accordance with the "changing security environment," as reported by the state agency KCNA on Sunday.
The same media outlet today reported a statement from the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticizing the United States and South Korea for their recent joint maneuvers, threatening them with "harsh" retaliation.
Pyongyang thus expressed its discontent over the "concerning provocations" that the combined aerial maneuvers carried out last week between Seoul, Tokyo, and Washington represented, which included the participation of a Pentagon B-1B strategic bomber, as well as other aerial exercises carried out this week between South Korea and the United States.
"Reality shows that the DPRK (acronym for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the country's official name) must respond to the United States with the harshest countermeasures from A to Z as long as it continues to reject its sovereignty and security interests, and that this is the best option for dealing with the United States," the North Korean ministry's statement pointed out.
Pyongyang also held the United States responsible for the "increasingly dangerous security environment" both on the Korean peninsula and in the region, due to its desire to "gain power superiority through its relentless military expansion."
The North Korean leader, for his part, stated that Pyongyang "will always make tireless efforts responsibly" to "defend sustainable and lasting peace" through "a more powerful and developed military muscle," as reported by KCNA regarding the aforementioned weapons test.
The cruise missiles tested by the North reached their targets after traveling elliptical trajectories of about 1,500 kilometers, according to Pyongyang's information, which added that the test "did not pose any impact on the security of neighboring countries."
The South Korean Army confirmed on Sunday the test conducted by the neighboring country, indicating that it detected "multiple launches of cruise missiles" from inside North Korea towards the Yellow Sea around 16:00 local time (7:00 GMT on Saturday), and added that it is "analyzing its characteristics."
The North Korean test and its message to Washington come after President Donald Trump stated on the 23rd that he is willing to meet in the future with Kim Jong-un, whom he described as "a smart guy."
In an interview with Fox News three days after his inauguration, Trump added that at some point he will get in touch with the North Korean leader, with whom the Republican conducted unsuccessful denuclearization negotiations during his first term (2017-2021).