On Saturday, North Korea test-fired three short-range ballistic missiles toward the Sea of Japan. The missiles were launched from Chunghwa County in North Korea’s North Hwanghae Province at around 8 a.m. local time on Saturday (23:00 GMT on Friday), Yonhap said, citing the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). On Sunday, North Korea launched another short-range ballistic missile, the first to be test-fired by Pyongyang in 2023.
Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Kim Gunn spoke over the phone with US Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim and Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director General for Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau Funakoshi Takehiro.
They "strongly condemned" North Korea's Sunday test launch and stressed that "the only way for North Korea to alleviate the suffering of its people amid extreme economic conditions" is to refrain from provocations, return to dialogue and redirect state resources from missile development to improving public welfare.
"In connection with North Korea's declaration that it will continue its provocations this year, the three countries stressed that North Korea's provocations will deepen its isolation and face a stronger defense readiness of the US-South Korea coalition, security cooperation between the US, South Korean and Japan, and a united and resolute response from the international community," the ministry said in a statement.
The senior diplomats noted that the measures announced by Pyongyang to step up self-defense capabilities were "absurd" and would only worsen the situation.
South Korea will "unwaveringly" promote efforts to return to dialogue with North, the country's envoy said, adding that Washington and Tokyo reaffirmed their "strong support" for this.
Earlier in the day, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said that the US, under the pretext of strengthening cooperation with South Korea and Japan, was creating an "Asian version of NATO." He also ordered the development of a new intercontinental ballistic missile system capable of conducting a quick nuclear retaliatory strike.