The United States conducted a show of force against North Korea on Tuesday, as the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un dismissed concerns about her country’s military and threatened an intercontinental ballistic missile test.
A B-52 fighter plane participated in joint U.S. and South Korean exercises on Tuesday, December 20, 2022. Chiefs of Staff, Joint
South Korea’s Defense Ministry stated that the deployment of U.S. B-52 bombers and F-22 stealth fighter jets for joint exercises with South Korean airplanes was part of an agreement to protect South Korea with all available weapons, including nuclear.
The exercises, which featured South Korean F-35 and F-15 fighter jets, took place in waters southwest of Jeju island, according to the ministry. For the first time in four years, the United States has deployed F-22 fighter jets to South Korea, where they will remain for the remainder of the week to train alongside South Korean soldiers.
The exercises were conducted after North Korea claimed to have launched a test satellite for the building of its first military spy satellite and tested a solid-fueled motor to be used on a more mobile intercontinental ballistic missile in recent days.
This year, North Korea has already fired a record number of missiles as a warning over the previous U.S.-South Korea military games, which it perceives as an invasion rehearsal. There are concerns that North Korea may conduct additional missile testing in response to the most recent allied air exercises.
Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, criticized the international assessments that cast doubt on North Korea’s development of spy satellites and long-range missiles on Tuesday using a variety of derogatory phrases, including “malicious slander,” “rubbish,” and “dog barking.”
North Korea stated that Sunday’s rocket launches were tests of systems for its first military reconnaissance satellite and posted two low-resolution images of South Korean cities taken from space. Some civilian specialists in South Korea and overseas opined that the photographs were insufficient for monitoring and that the launches were likely a cover for North Korea’s missile technology. According to the military of South Korea, North Korea launched two medium-range ballistic missiles.
Kim Yo Jong stated that the test satellite was equipped with a commercial camera because there was no need for an expensive, high-resolution camera for a single-shot test. She stated that North Korea utilized two aging missiles as space launchers.
Kim Yo Jong, a senior ruling Workers’ Party official, said in a statement carried by state media, “Didn’t they think their assessments were insufficient and irresponsible when they commented on our satellite development capability and related preparations based solely on two photos published in our newspaper?”
Kim Jong Un has committed to obtain many high-tech military systems, including a spy satellite, to combat what he calls U.S. hostility. In addition to multi-warhead missiles, solid-fueled long-range missiles, underwater-launched nuclear missiles, nuclear-powered submarines, and hypersonic missiles, Kim wishes to construct other weapons. Some experts believe that North Korea may eventually deploy modern weaponry and an expanded nuclear arsenal to exert pressure on the United States in order to obtain sanctions relief and other concessions.
Kim’s sister refuted the South Korean government’s conclusion that North Korea still faces significant technological obstacles for ICBMs capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, such as the inability to secure its warheads from the harsh conditions of atmospheric reentry.
Kim Yo Jong questioned how, if North Korea actually lacked reentry technology, the country could have received data from warheads until they fell in the ocean in prior missions.
She stated, “I believe it would be best if they stopped spouting nonsense, acted cautiously, and thought twice.”
It is debatable whether North Korea has a reliable arsenal of nuclear-armed missiles. However, North Korea has repeatedly asserted that its testing of missiles capable of reaching the United States and its allies prove that warheads can withstand atmospheric reentry and other obstacles.
All ICBM tests conducted by North Korea have been conducted at a steep angle to avoid neighboring countries. Without the ability to launch ICBMs on a consistent trajectory, the dependability of North Korean weapons cannot be ensured, according to some analysts.
Kim Yo Jong suggested that North Korea could launch an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on a normal trajectory, which would be a considerably greater provocation to the United States as the weapon would fly toward the Pacific Ocean.
“I can dispel their uncertainty regarding it. They will immediately detect it if we launch an ICBM in the direction of an actual firing angle “Kim Yo Jong declared.
According to South Korea’s spy agency, Kim, whose official position is vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party, is the second most prominent politician in the North behind her brother.
The spokesperson for the South Korean Foreign Ministry, Lim Soosuk, described her threats to launch an ICBM with a normal trajectory “very regretful.” He told reporters that North Korea’s nuclear goals would simply exacerbate its economic hardships and international isolation.
Due to its nuclear and missile programs, North Korea is among the most highly sanctioned countries in the world. Kim Yo Jong stated on Tuesday that North Korea is determined to strengthen its defenses no matter the cost.
She said, “We make it clear that we will not remain a passive bystander to any attempt to violate the legitimate rights of a sovereign state, but will instead exercise our bounden rights and reclaim them at the cost of our lives if necessary.”
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