North Korea has condemned the US military’s failed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test, warning of a “strong” response to the Pentagon’s “reckless and provocative” actions on the Korean peninsula.
Earlier, on November 1, the US test-fired a Minuteman III missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. However, the US Air Force said it was forced to shoot down the missile due to detecting "unidentified anomalies".
A US Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches during a test at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, in 2018. (Photo: US Air Force)
The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) published an article commenting on the incident on November 3, emphasizing: "The recent and ongoing military moves against the DPRK by the US... are extremely provocative and reckless acts, increasing military tensions on the Korean peninsula."
The article added that North Korea was prepared for an “immediate, strong and decisive response.”
KCNA also criticized the recent US deployment of nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to South Korea, saying Washington's "action to bolster nuclear weapons" was a "dangerous attempt to achieve military hegemony."
Reporting on the recent Minuteman III ICBM test, Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder said the launch "demonstrated the capability and reliability of the US strategic deterrent system, and sent a clear message of US commitment to its allies" .
Although the test failed, it provided “important data” and helped the Air Force “learn from each test launch,” according to a Pentagon official.
Officials also stressed that such tests ensure the “reliability and accuracy” of the aging Minuteman III, a version first used in 1970 that remains the main land-based weapon in the US nuclear triad.
Earlier this year, US President Joe Biden said the Pentagon would increase the “permanent presence” of strategic military assets on the Korean Peninsula to increase “deterrence” against Pyongyang.
Following the announcement, the Pentagon dispatched a nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine to South Korea for the first time since 1981, which also drew strong condemnation from North Korea.
Last September, Pyongyang passed a law allowing for a preemptive nuclear strike "automatically and immediately to destroy hostile forces" if it determines it is about to be attacked with nuclear weapons or against the country's "strategic targets" .
Kim Jong-un then declared that North Korea's status as a nuclear-armed state was "irreversible".
Hoa Vu (Source: actualidad.rt.com)
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