The conflict between North Korea and South Korea continues as the former fired two short-range ballistic missiles on the eastern coast of the Korean peninsula on Thursday.
The missiles were launched in the direction of Japan in retaliation to the joint military drills conducted by South Korea and the United States. This was the sixth missile launch by Pyongyang in a little less than two weeks and it has drawn criticism from several countries and the United Nations.
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“This is the sixth time in the short period just counting the ones from the end of September,” Japanese prime minister Fumio Kishida told reporters. “This absolutely cannot be tolerated.”
The United States brought up the topic of the missile launches in front of the United Nations security council where it was condemned by as many as nine countries – the United States, Britain, France, Albania, Brazil, India, Ireland, Norway and United Arab Emirates.
However, North Korea criticised them for misunderstanding “counteraction measures of the Korean People’s Army on South Korea-US joint drills.” The foreign ministry issued a statement which also said that the US should be interfere in the region’s politics with the joint military drills.
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Earlier, the US accused Russia and China of shielding North Korea by stopping the United Nations Security Council from imposing sanctions on Pyongyang.
“The DPRK (North Korea) has enjoyed blanket protection from two members of this council,” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said according to Reuters.
“In short, two permanent members of the Security Council have enabled Kim Jong Un.”
(With inputs from agencies)
