Pyongyang’s missile launch during Blinken’s visit to Seoul – 2024-03-20 01:38:25

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is visiting South Korea to attend the Democracy Summit. In the meantime, there have been reports that North Korea has launched a missile. Blinken was preparing for a democracy summit in neighboring South Korea when North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile toward its eastern waters, according to a report.

North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the East Sea, the US Joint Chiefs of Staff said on Monday. Japan’s coast guard also confirmed the North Korean missile launch.

Pyongyang’s missile launch came days after the United States and South Korea concluded 11 days of so-called Freedom Shield joint military exercises.

North Korea has long condemned joint military exercises between the US and South Korea. These exercises are also known as aggression exercises.

Pyongyang warned earlier this month that Seoul and Washington would pay a heavy price for this year’s military exercises. Twice as many troops have participated in the exercise this year as compared to previous years. Earlier on January 14, North Korea had launched a strategic hypersonic missile.

North Korea fired missiles shortly before Blinken and South Korean President Yun Suk-yeol took the opening stage of the Democracy Summit. South Korea is hosting the Democracy Summit this year.

Blinken will visit another Asian country after this conference. This conference will run from March 18 to 20. Government officials of various countries, NGOs and members of civil society will participate in it.

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Seoul is a very important ally of Washington. About 27,000 US troops are deployed in South Korea. This system is to protect the United States from the attack of nuclear-armed North Korea. Seoul’s conservative President Eun Suk-yeol is keen to strengthen ties with Washington as well as Japan.

TTN