By Oyintari Ben
The United States, Japan, and South Korea have warned that an “unprecedented” magnitude of retaliation would be necessary if North Korea conducted a seventh nuclear weapon test.
The US and its regional allies were concerned that North Korea might be about to resume nuclear bomb testing for the first time since 2017. This is why the warning was made on Wednesday.
Cho Hyun-dong, the first vice foreign minister of South Korea, said during a news conference in Tokyo that “we agreed that if North Korea pushes forward with a seventh nuclear test, an unprecedented magnitude of retaliation would be necessary.”
Cho spoke alongside the US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and the Vice Foreign Minister of Japan Takeo Mori.
This year, North Korea has conducted weapons tests at an unprecedented rate, launching over twenty short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, including one that flew over Japan, in recent weeks.
Sherman called the North’s actions “reckless” and severely destabilizing for the region, urging it to avoid from additional provocations.
Sherman added that the US will defend its allies South Korea and Japan using all of its military resources, “including nuclear, conventional, and missile defence.”
North Korea must comprehend that the US is “iron clad” in its commitment to the security of South Korea and Japan, she said.
Cho expressed concern to Sherman during their conversations that a new nuclear weapons policy implemented by North Korea in September raises the likelihood of its arbitrary use of nuclear weapons.
On the Korean peninsula, this is causing significant tension, according to Cho.
Yasukazu Hamada, the defence minister of Japan, recently stated that North Korea is thought to have successfully miniaturized nuclear warheads while also significantly enhancing its missile capabilities through the diversification of its launch technologies, which makes interceptions more challenging.
Japan has joined South Korea in expressing concern over a potential nuclear test by North Korea in the not too distant future.
