North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile During Blinken’s Visit to Seoul

North Korea launched what appeared to be an intermediate-range ballistic missile into the Japanese sea during US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Seoul, Reuters reported on January 6.

The missile was fired eastward around noon local time, shortly after Blinken concluded discussions with South Korea’s Acting President Choi Sang-mok. South Korea’s military confirmed the launch, marking Pyongyang’s first missile test since November 5, when it unleashed a barrage of seven short-range ballistic missiles.

The missile flew 1,100km before falling into the sea, the South Korean military said, emphasizing that it “strongly condemns” this “clear act of provocation,” BBC reported.

Speaking at a news conference hours later, Blinken said the launch underscored the importance of cooperation between the US, South Korea, and Japan, including real-time missile data sharing and trilateral military exercises.

“Today’s launch is just a reminder to all of us of how important our work together is,” he said.

During his meeting with Choi, Blinken underscored Washington’s unwavering security commitment to South Korea, emphasizing the need for a robust joint defense strategy to address potential provocations from North Korea, according to an official readout.

Choi is temporarily serving as acting president following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who declared martial law on December 3, a controversial decision that led to his suspension from office on December 14.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during an interview with US podcast Lex Fridman shared new details about the treatment of North Korean soldiers fighting for Russia, revealing that their faces are being burned to prevent them from being recognized.