The United States on Saturday strongly condemned North Korea’s launch of an “intercontinental ballistic missile” (ICBM).
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“This shot unnecessarily increases tensions and risks destabilizing security in the region,” said White House National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson.
Saturday’s shooting, the first in Pyongyang in seven weeks, comes as Washington and Seoul prepare to conduct a joint military simulation exercise.
“This is a flagrant violation of several UN Security Council resolutions,” the American official said.
According to Tokyo, the missile would have been damaged in Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Military tensions on the Korean peninsula increased in 2022, as Pyongyang called its nuclear status “irreversible” and conducted a record series of weapons tests, including ICBMs.