In the latest display of bravado from North Korea, the so called "hermit country" fired a ballistic missile over Japan. Now, everyone is on the edge. In fact, on Tuesday, President Trump responded to North Korea's action.
In a statement, Trump stated that it's clear what North Korea is trying to say. The current North Korean regime is signaling its contempt to its surrounding neighbors, and also all of the members of the United Nations.
Destabilizing and threatening actions will only push the current North Korean regime into further isolation, not only in its region, but also in the world.
Trump also stated that "all options are now on the table."
According to the Japanese government officials, North Korea flew a missile over Hokkaido, a northern island of Japan. It was around 5:58 in the morning when the locals spotted a missile flying overhead.
Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minister of Japan, called the missile launch as "a grave, unprecedented and serious threat" that will shake the region’s security.
In a phone call, Trump and Abe discussed the recent incident. Both agreed that North Korea's actions are a direct threat to the Republic of Korea, Japan, and the United States. According to an official White House statement, Prime Minister Abe and President Trump are committed to increase the pressure on the “hermit country” and are in the process of convincing the international community to follow their path.
During the 40-minute phone call, Trump reiterated that the United States is 100% behind Japan, and it’s supportive of Japan’s defensive efforts.
This is not the first time that North Korea has launched missiles. In fact, in the last couple of months, North Korea has launched many test missiles.
However, the recent missile launch over Japan waters was something different. Although it can be argued that North Korea has done something like this in 1998 and 2009, the country stated that those were satellite launch vehicles and not weapons.
When it comes to the missile launch itself, here's what’s known as of the moment:
According to the South Korean military, they estimated that the missile flew eastward a few minutes before 6:00 A.M. local time. The missile covered a distance of more than 1,678 miles before crashing into the sea.
According to an analyst, there's a high possibility that the missile was the Hwasong-12, a newly developed weapon designed for intermediate range.
The missile reached a maximum altitude of around 342 miles, an altitude that’s significantly lower when compared to other North Korean missile tests.
It's estimated that the missile hit the North Pacific waters 733 miles off Japan's coast. The missile broke into three pieces before landing on the water.
According to a North Korean ambassador, they are only responding to the U.S. military drills that are taking place in the area, and are just exercising their right to defend themselves.
