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North Korea launched a third ballistic missile into the sea the night before Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in the South Korean capital on Wednesday.
Wednesday’s missile is the latest show of force from the Kim Jong-un regime, which launched two previous missiles into waters off the east coast on Saturday and Sunday. Harris is expected to arrive in Seoul on Thursday as US and South Korean militaries conduct joint exercises in the area.
Prior to Saturday’s launch, North Korea had not launched a ballistic missile since June. The pattern mirrors that of President Biden’s last visit to South Korea, which also saw North Korea launch three missiles just days before his arrival.
Ambassador Harris will meet with South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol on Thursday, the final day of the joint military exercises.
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The USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea for the first time on Saturday, participating in exercises and sending messages to both North Korea and China regarding an invasion of Taiwan.
Harris arrived in Seoul after visiting Japan earlier this week to meet with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. She also attended the state funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated earlier this year.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff did not provide details about Wednesday’s missile launch. The group had previously detailed the speed and distance traveled by the missile on Sunday.
The US military issued a statement on Saturday condemning North Korea’s first launch.The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Kim Seung-gyeom, and the commander of US Forces Korea, Paul Lacamera, were also in touch about the launch, according to Reuters.
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“The United States is aware of the ballistic missile launch and is in close consultation with allies and partners,” he said. Indo Pacific Command said in a statement. “While we have determined that this event poses no immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory or to our allies, the missile launch highlights the destabilizing effects of North Korea’s illegal weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs. Korea and Japan remain impregnable.โ