The United States has been the target of a recent threat from North Korea. For the first time in decades, the United States has sent a nuclear-capable submarine to South Korea. The administration of Vice President Joe Biden is now urging communication.
On July 10, North Korea’s Ministry of National Defense said that the United States had violated North Korea’s “inviolable airspace.” According to The New York Times, the country admitted it could not promise an American spy plane wouldn’t be shot down by accident.
Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong-un’s sister, made a statement later that day claiming the United States had flown a spy plane over North Korea’s 200-nautical-mile economic water zone. What happened, she said, was a “grave encroachment upon [North Korea’s] sovereignty and security.” The dictator’s brother said that if it happened again, it would be a “shocking” affair. The government pointed to the shooting down of an American reconnaissance plane in 1969, in which all 31 people on board were killed.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller issued a briefing warning North Korea against “escalatory actions.” Instead, he urged them to “engage in serious and sustained diplomacy,” stressing that the United States is “committed to diplomacy” and that it has “made that clear on a number of occasions.”
Sabrina Singh, the Pentagon’s deputy press secretary, responded to Kim’s comments by calling them “just accusations” and restating that the United States will continue “flying, sailing, operating” wherever international law permits.
According to reports, North Korea fired out an ICBM on July 12. The launch was reportedly reported by the South Korean military at 10 am local time. The US ally also reported that, in coordination with the US, it was strengthening its monitoring and keeping its military prepared.
According to Japanese government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno, the ICBM was in the air for 74 minutes before crashing into the Sea of Japan roughly 155 miles west of Okushiri Island. However, more research is needed in the country.
