North Korea fires short-range missiles hours before US election

Nov 05, 2024

Ryan Robertson Anchor

By Ryan Robertson (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Kaleb Gillespie (Video Editor)

North Korea launched a series of short-range ballistic missiles early Tuesday, Nov. 5, marking its second missile test since late October, and occurring mere hours before the U.S. presidential election. The latest launch follows North Korea’s recent test of an advanced intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), reportedly capable of reaching the U.S. mainland.

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South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that several of the North Korean missiles traveled approximately 250 miles before landing in waters east of the Korean Peninsula. The launch appears to be a direct response to recent U.S.-led military drills conducted over the weekend.

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As part of those drills, the United States conducted joint exercises with South Korea and Japan, deploying a B-1B bomber alongside South Korean and Japanese fighter jets. The exercise, intended as a show of strength, was aimed at reinforcing regional readiness. North Korea swiftly condemned the drills as hostile.

Kim Yo Jong, sister and key spokesperson for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, described the trilateral exercise as showing the “most hostile and dangerous aggressive nature of the enemy toward our Republic.” Pyongyang characterized the drills as a rehearsal for invasion.

During a recent U.N. Security Council meeting, U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood condemned North Korea’s ongoing missile development. Wood accused Russia and China of enabling Pyongyang by blocking international accountability efforts.

Russian officials defended North Korea’s missile tests, framing them as a response to U.S. “provocations.” Moscow could also stand to benefit from North Korea’s testing, as Russia has become one of North Korea’s largest weapons buyers.

Meanwhile, South Korea has requested additional military support from the United States to bolster its defenses. Washington approved a military aid package worth nearly $5 billion, which includes early warning and control systems to enhance Seoul’s missile detection capabilities.

Tags: ICBM, Kim Jong Un, missiles, North Korea, Russia, South Korea, South Korean Military, Vladimir Putin

[Ryan Robertson]

NORTH KOREA LAUNCHED A SERIES OF SHORT-RANGE BALLISTIC MISSILES EARLY TUESDAY, ITS SECOND MISSILE TEST IN JUST DAYS AND MERE HOURS BEFORE THE U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. THIS FOLLOWS NORTH KOREA’S RECENT TEST OF AN ADVANCED INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE, REPORTEDLY CAPABLE OF REACHING THE U.S. MAINLAND —NOT TO MENTION THE MOST POWERFUL MISSILE IT HAS TESTED TO DATE.

SOUTH KOREA’S JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF REPORTED SEVERAL OF NORTH KOREA’S SHORT-RANGE MISSILES TRAVELED AROUND 250 MILES BEFORE LANDING IN WATERS EAST OF THE KOREAN PENINSULA. THE LAUNCH APPEARS TO BE A DIRECT RESPONSE TO RECENT U.S.-LED MILITARY DRILLS OVER THE WEEKEND.

AS PART OF THOSE DRILLS-, THE UNITED STATES CONDUCTED JOINT EXERCISES WITH SOUTH KOREA AND JAPAN, DEPLOYING A B-1B BOMBER ALONGSIDE SOUTH KOREAN AND JAPANESE FIGHTER JETS. THE ALLIES CALLED IT A SHOW OF STRENGTH AIMED AT REINFORCING REGIONAL READINESS. YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THOSE DRILLS ON OUR WEBSITE.

NORTH KOREA QUICKLY CONDEMNED THE DRILLS AS HOSTILE. KIM YO JONG, SISTER TO AND SPOKESPERSON FOR KIM JONG UN, DESCRIBED THE TRI-LATERAL EXERCISE AS DEMONSTRATING THE QUOTE, “MOST HOSTILE AND DANGEROUS AGGRESSIVE NATURE OF THE ENEMY TOWARD OUR REPUBLIC.” PYONGYANG CHARACTERIZED THE DRILLS AS A REHEARSAL FOR INVASION.

DURING A RECENT U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING, U.S. DEPUTY AMBASSADOR ROBERT WOOD CONDEMNED NORTH KOREA’S ONGOING MISSILE DEVELOPMENT AND ACCUSED RUSSIA AND CHINA OF ENABLING PYONGYANG BY BLOCKING INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY EFFORTS.

RUSSIAN OFFICIALS, HOWEVER, DEFENDED NORTH KOREA’S MISSILE TESTS AS A RESPONSE TO U.S. “PROVOCATIONS.”…THE KREMLIN COULD ALSO BENEFIT FROM NORTH KOREA’S TESTING–AS MOSCOW IS NOW ONE OF NORTH KOREA’S BIGGEST WEAPONS BUYERS.

MEANWHILE, SOUTH KOREA REQUESTED ADDITIONAL MILITARY SUPPORT FROM THE U.S. TO BOOST ITS DEFENSES. WASHINGTON APPROVED AN ALMOST $5 BILLION MILITARY AID PACKAGE THAT INCLUDES EARLY WARNING AND CONTROL SYSTEMS TO ENHANCE SEOUL’S MISSILE DETECTION CAPABILITIES.

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