Advertisement

Updated October 21st, 2021 at 13:02 IST

N Korea says sub-launched missile test didn't target America, calls US' retort 'abnormal'

Hitting back at US criticism, North Korea said its submarine-launched ballistic missile test was carried out rightfully and the weapon did not target America. 

Reported by: Aanchal Nigam
US
IMAGE: AP | Image:self
Advertisement

Hitting back at criticism from the United States, North Korea said that its latest submarine-launched ballistic missile test launch this week was carried out rightfully and the weapon did not specifically target America. In the comments published by Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the unnamed spokesperson of the country’s foreign ministry said that the latest test posed no immediate threat to the neighbouring nations. The North Korean official also said that there was no need for Washington to agonise over a weapon that doesn’t target the US.

North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that Pyongyang is “truly concerned” over what it termed an “abnormal” reaction by the US over a rightful exercise of its defence rights. The statement also referred to US and UK’s request for an emergency closed-door meeting by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and called it  a “provocative move”. The UNSC is set to meet on Thursday (local time) over the recent submarine-launches ballistic missile test by North Korea. 

“When doing the recent test-firing, we did not have the U.S. in mind nor aimed at it, but it is the work which had already been planned purely for the defence of the country,” the spokesperson said, as per KCNA. 

Further, the spokesperson noted that the US already possesses submarine-launched ballistic missile systems and added that Washington’s actions are exposing its double standards. The North Korean government’s official also noted that criticising the nation for testing the same weaponry that the US owns only raises the North’s suspicion about the sincerity of US President Joe Biden administration’s claims of harbouring no hostility toward Pyongyang. 

Earlier, North Korea confirmed that it successfully tested a new submarine-launched ballistic missile (SBLM) on Tuesday,19 October. North Korea’s state news outlet KCNA said that the missile had “advanced control guidance technologies” which could make it challenging to track. Especially in recent weeks, North Korea has carried out an array of weapons tests, launching what could be hypersonic and long-range weapons. However, the United Nations (UN) prohibits the secretive nation from testing ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons.

Missile had ‘controlling and homing’ technology

As per BBC report, ballistic missiles are considered more dangerous than cruise missiles because they can carry comparatively more powerful payloads and have a longer range than flies faster. The North Korean state media has said on Wednesday that its Tuesday missile had “controlling and homing” technology that allowed it to move laterally. Also releasing the pictures of the test, the outlet said that the ballistic missile was capable of “gliding and jumping movement”.

While KCNA said that the missile was launched from the same submarine that launched an older missile in a 2016 test, it remains unclear if North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended the test. Additionally, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, as per BBC, said one missile was launched from the port of Sinpo in North Korea and it landed in the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan. 

(IMAGE: AP)

 

Advertisement

Published October 21st, 2021 at 13:02 IST

Your Voice. Now Direct.

Send us your views, we’ll publish them. This section is moderated.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending Quicks

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Whatsapp logo