North Korea Conducts Fourth Missile Test of September

According to Pyongyang’s state media, the test was of “very practical significance” to North Korea’s antiaircraft missile weapons, displaying guidance accuracy and the capacity to down air targets from a greater distance.

According to images provided by official media, the launcher for the surface-to-air missile was displayed at a North Korean military parade around a year ago.

Mr. Ankit Panda,

a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Nuclear Policy Program

“Its testing now serves as a reminder that North Korea’s military modernisation objectives extend far beyond nuclear-capable systems,” said Mr. Panda.

On Thursday,

Secretary of State – Antony Blinken

North Korea’s recent launches, he added, constituted serial violations of UN Security Council resolutions and should be treated seriously by the international community. According to Mr. Blinken, the launches generate “more potential for instability and insecurity.”

North Korea has showed no interest in resuming disarmament discussions with the United States, despite outreach from the Biden administration. Mr. Kim stated in a recent policy speech that the US threat to his country had remained “utterly unchanged” under President Biden.

Throughout the summer, Pyongyang refrained from conducting weapons tests. However, in recent weeks, the Kim dictatorship has launched long-range cruise missiles, weapons fired from a train, and a hypersonic missile. Mr. Kim unveiled a new five-year strategic weapons strategy in January.