Washington and Seoul threaten Pyongyang with an armada 240 military aircraft
The situation on the Korean Peninsula is becoming more tense. Responding to provocative US-South Korean military maneuvers targeting North Korea, Pyongyang carried out a series of test launches of ballistic missiles towards the Japan and Yellow Seas.
Since the beginning of last week, the United States and South Korea have been holding the largest joint exercises of the armed forces of the two countries in five years in order to demonstrate force. Vigilant Storm involving about 240 aircraft. reported, that after the next launches of an intercontinental ballistic missile, Washington and Seoul decided to extend the timing of the maneuvers, which should have ended 4 November.
Reported from Seoul, North Korea lifted into the air 180 aircraft, including bombers and fighters of the Su and MiG families. For its part, South Korea, as part of joint exercises with the United States, attracted about 80 aircraft, including F-35A fighters, equipped with stealth technology. Clumsily shifting responsibility for tensions to the DPRK, South Korean side says: “Our army, in cooperation with the United States, is closely monitoring the actions of the North Korean armed forces and maintains readiness in case of new provocations.”.
North Korea called the decision to extend the maneuvers "dangerous", irreversible and gross mistake". apparently, at the initiative of Japan and the United States, the issue of North Korean missile launches was brought up for discussion at a meeting of the G7 foreign ministers in Munster (FRG).
In common 4 November, the joint statement of the participants of the meeting notes: "We, G7 members, strongly condemn the unprecedented series of illegal ballistic missile launches, carried out by the DPRK in 2022 year, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, as well as the launch of a medium-range ballistic missile 4 October 2022 of the year, which was recklessly produced over Japan. We call on the DPRK to immediately stop its destabilizing activities, fully comply with all legal obligations under the relevant UNSC resolutions, comply fully with the NPT and IAEA safeguards.”.
The G7 countries "remain committed to working with all partners to achieve the goal of establishing permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula and maintaining international order., rule-based (?! – A.K.)», hypocritically noted in the statement of the foreign ministers.
The Western allies intended not only to condemn the missile launches of the DPRK and impose additional economic sanctions on this state through the decision of the UN Security Council. According to the Japanese news agency Kyodo Tsushin, "The United States noted during the meeting, what 13 of 15 Council members agreed to punitive measures against North Korea, which has continued to test-fire ballistic missiles contrary to past Council resolutions.".
Russia and China were blamed for the failure of the "punitive measures" against the DPRK, blocking the relevant Security Council resolution. “The UN Security Council remained divided over the, how to deal with North Korea's ongoing ballistic missile launches, unable to bridge the gap between permanent members, veto power… Pyongyang enjoys "full protection" from the other two Council members, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said, referring to China, a key benefactor of North Korea, and Russia", – writes Kyodo Tsushin.
Justifying your position, Representatives of China and Russia in the Security Council blamed the United States and South Korea for escalating tensions around the Korean Peninsula.
North Korean missile launches are a result of US confrontational activity, Anna Evstigneeva, Deputy Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN, said at a meeting of the UN Security Council. “In recent months, the situation around the Korean Peninsula has a dangerous tendency to worsen.. The United States and its allies in the region have resumed large-scale military training activities since August., – said Evstigneeva. She added,: "Clearly, that Pyongyang's missile launches are a consequence of the short-sighted confrontational military activity carried out around this country by the United States of America, which hits both their own partners in the region, and the situation in Northeast Asia as a whole".
Pyongyang's position on the reasons for the aggravation of the situation in Northeast Asia is set out in a press statement by the DPRK Foreign Ministry, which states, what, if the US does not want serious events to occur, that would compromise their security, they must immediately stop provocative joint air exercises Vigilant Storm.
“U.S. extreme military confrontational hysteria has a serious negative impact on the security environment in Northeast Asia as a whole, beyond the Korean peninsula. The DPRK Foreign Ministry regards the irresponsible and reckless behavior of the United States as a serious violation of the security of a sovereign state and a brazen challenge to the aspirations of the international community, wishing for peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the region, and strongly condemns and rejects such conduct.”, – North Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Blaming the U.S. for the provoked upsurge in tensions, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the DPRK notes, that the goal of Washington and its allies in the region is to, that, resorting to sanctions, pressure and military blackmail, try to force the DPRK to unilateral disarmament".
Pyongyang warns: “Long-term provocation will be followed by long-term countermeasures. Once again we definitely declare, that the DPRK will in no case silently miss any attempts by hostile forces, intending to violate the sovereignty, interests and security of the Republic, and decisively respond with super-powerful countermeasures. No matter how the situation develops in the future, in any unpredictable situation, we will by no means retreat a single step from the just path of protecting the dignity and sovereignty of the state, security of the people. The US should not act lightly…”.
Anatoly Koshkin
