Empty streets & air raids in northern Japan after North Korea fires a ballistic missile overhead



On October 3, just days after Vice President Kamala Harris' visit to the Korean Peninsula's Demilitarized Zone, North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan — the first time it has done so in five years.

The missile, believed to be the Hwasong-12, proved capable of reaching Guam. It was airborne for 20 minutes, reached an altitude of 620 miles (over twice as high as the International Space Station) and ultimately traveled 2,800 miles before smashing into the Pacific Ocean.

Upon detecting the launch, Japanese officials halted trains in the northern Hokkaido and Aomori regions and urged citizens to take shelter.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's office indicated that a missile was "believed to have been launched from North Korea" and that citizens should "evacuate to the inside of a building or go to the basement."

\u201cBREAKING: Air raid sirens sounding in Japan following reports of North Korea missile fire, missile reportedly overflew the country and landed into Pacific Ocean\u201d
— Insider Paper (@Insider Paper) 1664838074

The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo reportedly cautioned Americans in the area that there was a possibility the missile was headed toward Japan.

Later, Japanese officials acknowledged that "the aforementioned missile is believed to have passed through the Pacific Ocean."

Condemnation

The U.S., Japanese, and South Korean governments quickly condemned the attacks.

Kishida stated that the "firing, which followed a recent series of launches by North Korea, is a reckless act and I strongly condemn it."

The Japanese prime minister was referencing several earlier launches of short-range ballistic missiles by the communist regime into the East Sea, including two fired just hours after the U.S. vice president's departure from South Korea last week.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol indicated that the regime's "reckless nuclear provocations" would be met by a stern response.

Adrienne Watson, the spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council, stated that "the United States strongly condemns the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) dangerous and reckless decision to launch a long-range missile over Japan."

Watson added that the act was "destabilizing" to the region and in contravention of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The Security Council previously called on the communist regime to "cease its illicit activity" and voted 15-0 to sanction the rogue nation.

In response to the imposition of parallel U.S. sanctions against North Korea in 2017, Pyongyang responded: "The U.S. mainland will sink into an unimaginable sea of fire on the day when it dares to touch our country by stupidly causing mischief and brandishing its nuclear and sanctions clubs."

The regime also threatened to hit U.S. military bases in Guam with the same type of missile believed to have been fired this week.

Responding to these threats to the U.S. homeland in a speech to the U.N., on September 19, 2017, former President Donald Trump stated: "The United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea."

North Korea withdrew from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 2003, after the U.S. alleged the regime was pursuing an illegal uranium enrichment program. It refuses to return to nuclear diplomacy with the U.S.

This latest missile launch is reportedly another step toward the regime's test of a nuclear weapon, expected to occur after China's communist party congress starting on October 16.

Adrienne Watson emphasized that the U.S. "will continue its efforts to limit [North Korea's] ability to advance its prohibited ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction programs, including with allies and U.N. partners."

Military response

The U.S. and South Korea quickly responded to the communist regime's first missile launch with what the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff characterized as a "combined attack squadron flight and precision bombing drill."

Four U.S. F-16 fighter jets and four South Korean F-15s fired on an uninhabited island in the Yellow Sea. The drill evidenced the allies' ability to accurately obliterate communist targets with "overwhelming force" and "to respond resolutely to any provocation from North Korea."

Last week, the two countries also conducted joint military exercises, in which the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan participated. The North Korean regime allegedly regarded these exercises as invasion rehearsals.

On October 1, the 7th Fleet conducted exercises with Canada and Japan, reiterating its "commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific."

In response to the latest missile launch, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command stated: "The United States condemns these actions and calls on the DPRK to refrain from further unlawful and destabilizing acts," noting further that while "the event does not pose a threat to U.S. personnel, or territory, or to our allies, we will continue to monitor the situation."

\u201c.@INDOPACOM's statement on #DPRK's most recent missile launch\n\ud83d\udd0e https://t.co/X2NwCs7dTu\u00a0\u00a0\n\n#\uac19\uc774\uac11\uc2dc\ub2e4 | \ud83c\uddf0\ud83c\uddf7 #ROKUSAlliance \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 | #WeGoTogether\n@ROK_MND | @DeptofDefense | @USForcesJapan\u201d
— U.S. Forces Korea (@U.S. Forces Korea) 1664860744

USINDOPACOM added that the "U.S. commitments to the defense of Japan and the [Republic of Korea] remain ironclad."

Xi Jinping sends a message to Kim Jong-Un seeking to promote friendly relations and build 'a new situation' that changes the global pecking order



Chinese President Xi Jinping has reached out to the Supreme Leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-Un, seeking to promote friendly relations.

Xi sent a message to Kim saying that the Chinese government was ready to come to a “common understanding” with North Korean leadership as the two nations work to build supportive and friendly relations under “a new situation,” Fox News reported.

Xi’s message to his North Korean counterpart was in response to Kim congratulating Chinese leadership at the close of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

The North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, “In the message, the respected Comrade Kim Jong-Un extended heartfelt warm congratulations to General Secretary Xi Jinping upon the splendid proceeding of the Beijing Winter Olympics as a novel and special grand sports festival.”

Despite enthusiastically applauding the Chinese Olympics, North Korea was prohibited from participating by the International Olympic Committee over the country refusal to participate in last Summer’s Tokyo Olympic Games over COVID-19 concerns.

Kim said that North Korea and China are “frustrating the undisguised hostile policy and military threat of the U.S. and its satellite forces by strengthening the bilateral strategic cooperation and unity.”

The North Korean leader said he was committed to “more firmly consolidate the [North Korea]-China relationship into the invincible one.”

The message of friendship between the two communist countries came just one day after Xi offered his “support” to Russian President Vladimir Putin as Russia began its invasion of Ukraine.

#BREAKING: Chinese President Xi Jinping had a phone talk with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Xi said China supports the Russian side in solving the issue through negotiation with the Ukrainian side.pic.twitter.com/vH1EdT0sLN
— People's Daily, China (@People's Daily, China) 1645795962

During the Beijing Winter Olympics, Xi and Putin had an in-person meeting where the two leaders agreed to cooperate and potentially advance each other’s goals.

They issued a joint statement that said, “Friendship between the two States has no limits, there are no ‘forbidden’ areas of cooperation.”

This agreement between China and Russia marks the most detailed and aggressive statement the two countries have made as they collaborate to unseat the United States as the global hegemon.

In recent days, North Korea has allegedly resumed development and testing ballistic missiles as it continues developing nuclear weapons.

Business Insider reported that Japan’s Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said, “frequent launches” have been coming from North Korea since the outset of 2022. The minister believes that North Korean leadership resumed testing its missiles this winter because the international community was more focused on the possibility of Russia invading Ukraine.

He said, “If North Korea deliberately carried out the missile launch while the international community is distracted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, such an act is absolutely unforgivable.”

North Korea reportedly flaunts new 'monster' ICBM at showy military parade — and some analysts believe it could be one of the world's largest ballistic missiles



North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un reportedly celebrated during a recent military parade, which featured what is reportedly one of the biggest intercontinental ballistic missiles in the world, according to a Saturday Reuters report.

The outlet reported that the missiles — previously unseen — were shown at the military parade, which showcased North Korea's long-range weapons for what the news organization said was the first time in two years.

CNN notes that some analysts believe the ballistic missile is one of the world's largest ever seen.

What are the details?

The parade reportedly took place in Pyongyang to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party, and displayed several large missiles.

Melissa Hanham, deputy director of the Open Nuclear Network, called the missile a "monster," according to the report.

One missile in particular was so large that the huge trailer on which it was transported had 11 axles.

"Also displayed were the Hwasong-15, which is the longest-range missile ever tested by North Korea, and what appeared to be a new submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM)," Reuters noted.

According to the news organization, an unnamed senior U.S. official said the display was "disappointing" amid the recent development of relations between North Korea and South.

The unnamed official said, "It is disappointing to see the DPRK continuing to prioritize its prohibited nuclear and ballistic missile program over working towards a brighter future for the North Korean people."

Kim, according to the outlet, appeared and waved to the crowd before making remarks.

"We will continue to build our national defense power and self-defensive war deterrence," he reportedly said in his remarks.

The report noted, "The parade was highly choreographed, with thousands of troops marching in formation, displays of new conventional military equipment including tanks, and fighter jets launching flares and fireworks. Kim became visibly emotional as he thanked the troops for their sacrifice in responding to natural disasters and preventing a coronavirus outbreak."

Reuters reported that Kim expressed his gratitude that not a single North Korean citizen tested positive for the virus — a previously disputed claim.

What else?

Following the news, the U.S. urged North Korea to return to negotiations.

An unnamed U.S. official reportedly told The Daily Caller, "The United States remains guided by the vision President Trump and Chairman Kim set forth in Singapore and calls on the DPRK to engage in sustained and substantive negotiations to achieve complete denuclearization."

"It is disappointing to see the DPRK continuing to prioritize its prohibited nuclear and ballistic missile program," the source added.

North Korea unveils 'monster' intercontinental missilewww.youtube.com