US B-1B bombers, South Korea’s F-35A fighter jets and US F-16 fighter jets – South Korean Ministry of Defense
Kim Jong-un’s powerful sister has told the United States to prepare to defend itself as North Korea ramps up the strength of its nuclear weapons on a day when launching even more missiles is raising tensions in the Asia-Pacific space tightened.
The Japan Coast Guard confirmed Monday morning that North Korea has fired three more ballistic missiles into Japanese waters. It came after Pyongyang’s military launched its Hwasong-15 ICBM over the weekend.
This test prompted the US to take to the skies in its own show of might, flying its long-range supersonic bombers alongside South Korean and Japanese warplanes.
Kim Yo-jong, sister of the North Korean leader and deputy department head of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, warned Washington that Pyongyang will respond to any “direct or indirect threat.”
“The frequency of using the Pacific as a firing range depends on the actions of US forces,” said a statement from the influential figure, who is said to be a possible successor to her older brother.
“We reiterate that nothing has changed in our will to make the worst of the madmen who escalate tensions pay the price for their actions.”
She denied reports that the ICBM warhead’s re-entry failed and called nuclear experts “stupid” and reiterated that the weapons posed a threat to the US. In theory, ICMBs could travel as far as North America.
“Such an argument, put forward by those novices who lack said common sense and who pretend to be experts, will actually not change the crisis that the US and South Korea are facing,” said Kim Yo-jong.
“We have satisfactory technology and capabilities and will now focus on increasing the quantity of their forces.
“You’d better rack your brains to take action to defend yourself rather than doubting or worrying about the technology of others.”
Monday’s missile launch marks the reclusive nation’s third major weapons test this year. In 2022, Pyongyang fired missiles on more than 30 separate occasions – including in March when it conducted what is believed to be the largest ICBM test ever with a weapon that flew to more than 6,000 km altitude and previously traveled a range of about 1,100 km had fallen into Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
North Korea’s state news agency said the Hwasong-15 rocket flew as high as 5,768 km on Saturday before accurately hitting a preset area 989 km away in open water.
South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin said at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, “If North Korea conducts the seventh nuclear test, which could happen at any time, it will be a game changer in the sense that North Korea could develop and deploy tactical nuclear missiles.”
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