South Korea, US, and Japan Discuss North Koreas Recent Missile Launches

Seoul, October 30 (Daily Kiran) : Senior diplomats from South Korea, the United States, and Japan engaged in discussions over the phone on Friday regarding North Korea’s recent ballistic missile launches. The South Korean Foreign Ministry confirmed that they shared information about these missile tests and deliberated on possible responses.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff in South Korea, North Korea launched approximately ten short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea from the Wonsan area on Thursday. State media in North Korea reported that during a weapons demonstration the previous day, the country fired 600-millimeter multiple rocket launchers, tactical cruise missiles, and air-to-ground missiles.

The South Korean Foreign Ministry stated that Baek Yong-jin, the director-general for Korean Peninsula policy, spoke with David Stilwell, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary for Northeast Asia, and Takashi Ariyoshi, a senior official from Japan’s Foreign Ministry. The ministry noted in a press release that the three officials exchanged vital information and discussed future reactions.

It further mentioned that whenever North Korea launches ballistic missiles, the foreign affairs officials from the three nations utilize a communication channel to promptly share assessments and information.

This latest missile test by North Korea occurred just a week after Seoul proposed military talks with Pyongyang, aimed at resolving border disputes between the two countries. Tensions have escalated along the border since three South Korean soldiers were injured in a landmine explosion within the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) last month.

During a regional meeting of defense ministers in the Philippines, South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul condemned North Korea’s recent missile launches, stating that they pose a threat to the security of the Korean Peninsula and the broader region. At the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus, Kang remarked, “North Korea is currently launching multiple missiles, which threaten the security of the Korean Peninsula and the region.”

Kang also addressed the recent explosion caused by landmines laid by North Korea south of the Military Demarcation Line, calling it a “clear violation” of the armistice agreement that ended the Korean War from 1950 to 1953 and an act of provocation. He urged for the resumption of dialogue between the two Koreas, noting, “When the path to dialogue is blocked, it becomes difficult to understand the intentions of the adversary. Mutual distrust and tension could lead to further confrontation and crisis.”