Ministry of Unification: "Responsibility for Rising Tensions on the Korean Peninsula Lies with North Korea's Nuclear Development"

North Korea Conducts ICBM 'Hwasong-17' Launch Drill the Previous Day
Kim Jong Un: "Make Them Realize the Irreversible Threat"

The Ministry of Unification expressed strong regret over North Korea's continued missile provocations in response to the South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises and urged the cessation of threats.

At a regular briefing on the 17th, Lee Hyo-jung, deputy spokesperson of the Ministry of Unification, stated regarding North Korea's launch training of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) 'Hwasong-17' under the observation of Kim Jong-un the previous day, "It is clear that the cause and responsibility for the heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula lie in North Korea's reckless nuclear and missile development," adding, "We deeply regret North Korea using the South Korea-U.S. joint exercises as a pretext for provocations."

Lee Hyo-jung, Deputy Spokesperson of the Ministry of Unification [Image source=Yonhap News]

The spokesperson urged, "North Korea should stop provocations and threats even now and take the right path toward sustainable peace on the Korean Peninsula." He also mentioned that the National Security Council (NSC) Standing Committee strongly condemned North Korea's long-range ballistic missile launch and discussed follow-up measures, emphasizing that the Ministry of Unification holds the same position.

According to the Korean Central News Agency on the same day, Kim Jong-un, accompanied by his daughter Kim Ju-ae, provided on-site guidance for the ICBM launch training the previous day and threatened, targeting the South Korea-U.S. joint exercises, "The more anti-Republic military provocations continue and expand, the more they will be made to realize that the irreversible threat approaching them will reach a severe level."