North Korea fired a “unidentified projectile”, said Monday, January 17, the South Korean army, in what could be the fourth armament test of the month for this country endowed with nuclear weapons.
“North Korea launched an unidentified projectile towards the East Sea”, also known as the Sea of Japan, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said shortly before a confirmation from the Japanese Coast Guard.
On Friday, North Korea fired two tactical guided missiles from a train. It had also carried out two tests, on January 5 and 11, which it had announced as hypersonic missiles.
“Legitimate right” to self-defense
In response to this series of tests, the United States recently announced new sanctions, which Pyongyang called ” provocation “. North Korea has “a legitimate right” self-defense, a Foreign Ministry spokesman told the official KCNA news agency.
Despite international sanctions, Pyongyang has redoubled its efforts to modernize its army, while refusing to respond to calls for negotiations launched by the United States. In December 2021, at a meeting of North Korea’s ruling party, leader Kim Jong-un pledged to continue developing the country’s military capabilities.
The dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang remains at an impasse and North Korea has imposed a blockade on itself to prevent any contamination with the coronavirus, hitting its already poor economy a little harder.