North Korea Declares War if Missile Test is Shot Down

PYONGYANG, KOMPAS.com – North Korea warned on Tuesday (7/3/2023) that it would declare war if its missile was shot down during a test over the Pacific Ocean.

North Korea has conducted a wave of prohibited weapons tests in recent months, claiming its nuclear weapons and missile programs are for self-defense.

Pyongyang has also been angered by joint US-South Korean military drills, describing them as rehearsals for invasion.

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“It will be considered a clear declaration of war against the DPRK (abbreviation of North Korea’s official name), if a military response such as interception takes place against our strategic weapons test,” said Kim Yo Jong, the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, quoted from the office AFP news.

“The Pacific Ocean does not belong to the dominium of the US or Japan,” he continued.

North Korea is “always on standby to take appropriate, swift and extraordinary measures at any time”, added his statement, which was published by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

This month, the US and South Korean militaries will hold their largest joint drills in five years.

Ahead of the Freedom Shield exercise, scheduled for at least 10 days starting March 13, 2023, the two allied nations this week held aerial exercises featuring US nuclear-capable B-52 heavy bombers.

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In a separate statement on Tuesday (7/3/2023), North Korea’s Foreign Ministry accused the United States of deliberately increasing tensions.

“The recent joint air drills… clearly show that the US scheme to use nuclear weapons against the DPRK is being carried out at the level of an actual war,” the North’s foreign ministry said, published by KCNA.

“We deeply regret the irresponsible and worrying tensions created by the US and South Korea,” he added.

Last year, North Korea declared itself an irreversible nuclear power and fired a record number of missiles.

Also read: North Korea Launches ICBM from Sudden Order, Capable of Rapid Counterattack

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