While officials have not released additional details on the type of rocket component that was being tested or whether it fit into the ICBM programme - the confirmation of the test comes a day after the United States held talks with China. During a round of the high-level talks in Washington, U.S. pressed China to exert more economic and diplomatic pressure on North Korea to help rein in its nuclear and missile programs. U.S. President Donald Trump is said to have warned that a “major, major conflict” with North Korea is possible over its weapons programs. U.S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson meanwhile called North Korea the "top security threat" to the United States and said China has a "diplomatic responsibility to exert much greater economic and diplomatic pressure on the regime if they want to prevent further escalation in the region."
However, in the months of saber rattling from both the sides - U.S. officials have imposed tougher sanctions on the nuclear nation and even though senior officials have warned of military force - they have also specified that it is not the preferred option. According to a statement released by China’s Foreign Ministry on Friday, China’s top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, told Trump during the White House meeting that Beijing was willing to “maintain communication and coordination” with the United States in an effort to diffuse tension on the Korean peninsula. Further, last month, the head of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency told Congress that if left unchecked, North Korea was on an “inevitable” path to obtaining a nuclear-armed missile capable of striking the U.S. mainland. Experts however believe that Pyongyang could still be years away from have a reliable ICBM capability, despite noting the pace at which it is proceeding with the development of the missile that it wants to aim at the U.S.
ICBMs, that have a minimum range of about 5,500 km, are designed to travel 10,000 km or farther - and the continental United States is around 9,000 km from North Korea. Last month, the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency warned that North Korea was on an "inevitable" path to achieving this. Meanwhile, Trump’s defense secretary, Jim Mattis, said last month that any military solution to the North Korea crisis would be “tragic on an unbelievable scale.” Even as North Korea ramps up its nuclear program - the U.S. too is increasing its capabilities to defend the threat from North Korea. In May, the U.S. staged its first-ever successful test to intercept an incoming ICBM-type missile.
Earlier this week, at a time of heightened animosities, South Korean officials said that the United States flew two supersonic bombers over the Korean Peninsula. On Tuesday, flights by B-1Bs came hours after the death of a U.S. college student who was recently released by North Korea in a coma following more than 17 months of captivity. Confirming the presence of the warplanes in the region - Seoul's Defense Ministry said the bombers engaged in routine exercises with South Korean fighter jets aimed at showing deterrence against North Korea. Meanwhile, the U.S. military said the bombers conducted two separate drills with the Japanese and South Korean air forces - adding that the flights demonstrated solidarity among South Korea, Japan and the United States "to defend against provocative and destabilizing actions in the Pacific theater."
Hours later, Japan said in a statement that it will test its missile interceptor capability on Thursday, following several North Korean missile tests that have shaken the nation. Japanese broadcaster NHK reported that country’s Air Self-Defense Force will test its Lockheed Martin-made Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3), designed to shoot down missiles, at four bases in Tokyo. The U.S. Missile Defense Agency said on Thursday that a test on June 21 of a new capability being developed by the United States and Japan to defend against shorter-range missiles failed to hit its target. The latest rocket test was conducted in the city of Yun Song, where officials have confirmed, previous rocket tests too have taken place.
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Originally Posted by MMC
