On Friday, North Korea launched an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) successfully for the second time this month. The rocket landed in the Sea of Japan, about 600 miles away from the launcher area.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that they got information the North Korea will conduct a missile firing again. He urged the US, South Korea, Russia and China to increase tension on the secretive state over its missile launches.
Soon after reports of the launch appeared from Japan, the Pentagon, and South Korean military officials proved they recognized it a ballistic missile launch from North Korea. The Pentagon has long prepared for the chance of conflict with North Korea, the blunt language in the statement signed a departure from previous public responses to missile tests.
Donald Trump’s administration has stated that the limit of ‘strategic patience’ towards North Korea is done, US officials have also shown growing frustration with Beijing for not doing more to pressure its neighbor to rein in its military ambitions.
It comes just one day after the 64th anniversary of the end of the Korean War – recognized as Victory Day in the North. Intelligence officials in both the US and South Korea worried the DPRK could start a missile to point the event. North Korea fired what was supposed to be its first ICBM earlier this month.
International pressures have been rising over the nuclear ambitions of North Korea in recent months, and Donald Trump has threatened to “take care” of the unstable situation.