En the day after North Korea’s latest missile test, the US and South Korea fired missiles themselves in the region. South Korea’s military said on Wednesday that the United States and South Korea fired four surface-to-surface missiles toward the Sea of Japan (East Sea) in response to North Korea’s provocation. Each side fired two missiles that hit decoy targets precisely. This demonstrated the Allies’ ability to deter further provocations.
On Tuesday, the regime in Pyongyang fired a medium-range ballistic missile towards the Sea of Japan. It was the first time a North Korean missile had flown over the Japanese archipelago in almost five years.
Both the US and NATO sharply condemned the test. In direct response, South Korean forces fired two precision bombs in the Yellow Sea. In addition, flight maneuvers were held together with US F-16 fighter jets. The Yellow Sea is bordered by China and the Korean Peninsula.
The last time North Korea launched a missile over Japan in 2017, the country conducted a nuclear weapons test just days later. UN resolutions prohibit North Korea from testing ballistic missiles of any range, which, depending on the design, can also carry a nuclear warhead. Most recently, North Korea tested two short-range ballistic missiles on Saturday – the fourth missile launch in a week.
