Most Read by Bloomberg North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile around 10:48 am. from Kangwon Province, South Korea’s Chief of Staff said. It was its first missile test in about a week and adds to a record of more than 60 ballistic missiles launched this year — in defiance of United Nations resolutions barring Pyongyang from such launches. The test came shortly after Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui announced that Pyongyang would respond militarily if the US continued to work with its allies on joint exercises, including those to deter North Korea. “The more intense the US is in its ‘enhanced offer of extended deterrence’ to its allies and the more it steps up provocative and bluffing military activities on the Korean Peninsula and in the region, the tougher the DPRK’s military response will be,” he said. a statement issued by state media, referring to North Korea by its official name. North Korea launched a ballistic missile, adding to the barrage Leader Kim Jong Un has driven tensions to some of their highest levels in years by launching a massive barrage of missiles in recent weeks that included the first shot across the naval border with South Korea established since the Korean War. Kim is finding room to step up provocations and take military action against the US and its allies as the Biden administration focuses on Russia’s war in Ukraine. Russia and China, two of North Korea’s longtime partners, have veto power in the UN Security Council and have shown no intention of punishing Kim with additional sanctions. The story continues North Korea has been engaged in joint military exercises for decades, calling them a prelude to an invasion. The US, Japan and South Korea have warned that Kim’s regime appears poised to escalate tensions with its first nuclear bomb test in about five years. –With the help of Shinhye Kang. (Updates with details.) Most Read by Bloomberg Businessweek ©2022 Bloomberg LP
