Pyongyang Improving Missile Technology, Could Take More Provocative Action Soon

TOKYO (Sputnik) – The latest ballistic missile tests carried out by Pyongyang show that the precision of North Korea’s missiles is improving, South Korean government sources told the Yonhap news agency on Friday.

Meanwhile North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho warned that Pyongyang is ready to take further action in response to what it considers as provocations from the West.

"North Korea is ready to launch another attack in defiance of the provocations by the United States," Ri Yong-ho stressed on Thursday, as quoted by Yonhap.

Pyongyang confirmed on September 9 that it had carried out a nuclear test, at its northeastern nuclear test site. The nuclear experiment is believed to be the fifth and largest since Pyongyang started pursuing nuclear and ballistic missile programs, drawing condemnation from the international community.

Pyongyang’s January nuclear test and a long-range rocket launch in February resulted in the tightening of sanctions against North Korea in a new UN Security Council resolution adopted in March. The United Nations previously imposed sanctions on North Korea for three tests it carried out in 2006, 2009 and 2013.

The new US sanctions against North Korea, unveiled in March, target the country’s trade in metal, graphite, coal, software as well as revenue streams from workers abroad. They also block property and interests in property of the North Korean government. Moreover, the sanctions prohibit exports or re-exports of goods, services and technology to North Korea and new investments by US persons regardless of where they are located.