(UnitedVoice.com) – North Korea is known for its missile launches. The country’s dictator, Kim Jong-un, is obsessed with making his country appear strong. He has repeatedly threatened the US and its allies in the past.
Recently, Kim caused an uproar when he carried out another missile launch.
Missile Launch
On December 18, Kim watched as his military launched a Hwasong-18 missile. They launched it at a high angle because it was capable of hitting a neighboring country. The missile flew 622 miles for more than 73 minutes at an altitude of 4,050 miles. It eventually landed off the east coast of North Korea.
According to The Associated Press, the Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile is considered the country’s most powerful weapon. That’s because it is a solid-fueled ICBM that’s harder for others to detect than liquid-fueled missiles. Kim appeared to express “great satisfaction” with the successful launch.
The country previously tested the missile twice, once in July and once in April. The latest launch came after the US and South Korean leaders met with one another to discuss how to respond to North Korea.
Kim blamed the US for what he said was a “preview of a nuclear war.”
Outrage Erupts
The Japanese Defense Ministry released a preliminary assessment about the missile launch and stated that the ICBM was capable of hitting both the US and Japan. Shingo Miyake, Japan’s parliamentary vice minister of defense, said it’s capable of striking anywhere in the entire United States. It would have to be flown at a flatter trajectory to do that though.
A day after the missile launch, the G-7 nations issued a joint statement condemning North Korea. The statement said the Foreign Ministers of Japan, Italy, Canada, France, the US, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the High Representative of the European Union “condemn in the strongest terms” the ICBM launch. The nations said they “deplore North Korea’s choice to prioritize its unlawful” ballistic missile and weapons of mass destruction programs “over the welfare” of its own people.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol warned that Kim’s “provocations” only bring more pain to his own country.
Kim’s refusal to stop trying to develop nuclear weapons, combined with his constant threats, has led to tough economic sanctions on his country. Those sanctions have hurt his economy and the people he leads. Hunger is a common, persistent problem in North Korea. As his nation starves, he continues to spend his time provoking the Western world and South Korea.
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