KYODO NEWS
The United States, Japan and South Korea have condemned North Korea after Pyongyang on Thursday tested six missiles, including a suspected ICBM that could reach the US mainland.
North Korea, which has been testing missiles at an unprecedented rate this year, launched three ballistic missiles, including an apparent ICBM believed to be a Hwasong-17, in the early morning, followed by three more in the evening.
The other five were short-range ballistic missiles. All missiles crashed into the Sea of Japan. The launch of the ICBM apparently failed, the South Korean news agency Yonhap said, citing a defense source.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, meeting in Germany on Thursday for the Group of Seven foreign ministers meeting, strongly condemned North Korea's string of ballistic missile launches, calling it an undisputed and serious challenge. to the international community.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and South Korean Defense Secretary Lee Jong Sup agreed to further strengthen the bilateral alliance's capabilities to deter and respond to threats from North Korea at a meeting at the Pentagon on the same day.
North Korean missile launches followed on Thursday. its test launch of more than 20 missiles the previous day, amid growing concerns the country could conduct its seventh nuclear test and first since September 2017 ahead of Tuesday's US midterm elections.
Lee said through an interpreter that he and Austin claimed that any nuclear attack by North Korea, including the use of tactical nuclear weapons, would result in the "end of Kim Jong Un's regime through North Korea's overwhelming and determined response." The Alliance" . .
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