South Korea and the U.S. fired missiles Tuesday into the former’s territorial waters as part of a military exercise after North Korea test-launched an intercontinental ballistic missile, DoD News reported Wedneday.Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a spokesman for the Defense Department, told reporters that service personnel used South Korea’s Hyunmoo II missiles and the eight U.S. Army’s Tactical Missile System during the exercise.
Davis noted that the U.S. tracked for 37 minutes the ICBM that took off from North Korea’s Banghyon airfield and landed in the sea of Japan.
“We strongly condemn this act by North Korea… It is escalatory [and] destabilizing,†Davis added.
Reuters also reported that the U.S. prefers to pursue diplomatic action in response to North Korea’s ICBM test but is prepared to use its military forces to put an end to the East Asian country’s nuclear missile program.
Nikki Haley, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said Wednesday at a U.N. Security Council meeting that China should initiate actions to control North Korea.
Haley also cited possible sanctions against North Korea in response to its ICBM test and those include imposing maritime and air restrictions, limiting the supply of oil to the country’s weapons programs and cutting off main sources of hard currency to the country, the report added.
