Shocked by North Korea's Multiple Missile Launches Worldwide... Foreign Media Also Urgently Report

Bloomberg "Kim Jong-un Sets Record for Most Annual Missile Launches Since Taking Power"

Osan Air Base of the United States Air Force in Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi-do
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] On the 5th, North Korea launched a barrage of eight short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) into the East Sea, prompting major foreign media to simultaneously report the news in breaking news format. Attention was drawn to the fact that North Korea carried out the provocation the day after the joint South Korea-U.S. naval exercises involving an aircraft carrier concluded.

U.S. CNN specifically introduced the Joint Chiefs of Staff's announcement that North Korea launched eight SRBMs from areas including Pyongyang Sunan towards the East Sea between 9:08 and 9:43 a.m. that day. The report also covered the Joint Chiefs' response, stating, "We are strengthening surveillance and vigilance, closely cooperating between South Korea and the U.S., and maintaining full readiness." It particularly pointed out that the South Korea-U.S. naval forces had conducted joint exercises near Okinawa, Japan, for three days until the day before, and North Korea launched missiles just one day after the exercises ended.

Bloomberg News noted that this launch set a new record for the highest number of launches on an annual basis since Kim Jong-un took power. North Korea's ballistic missile launch on this day was the third provocation since the inauguration of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration and the 18th show of force this year alone. It was also just 11 days after firing three missiles, including an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and SRBMs, on the 25th of last month. Furthermore, it criticized, "The Biden administration and its allies have failed to effectively deter North Korea's weapons tests or impose additional sanctions," adding, "While the U.S. is focused on isolating Russian President Vladimir Putin and curbing China's expanding influence, Kim Jong-un is strengthening nuclear armament without fear of additional U.N. Security Council sanctions."

Japan's Kyodo News, based on the announcement by Japan's Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, reported that "North Korea launched at least six ballistic missiles from more than three launch sites, with each missile flying 300 to 400 km." It also mentioned that North Korea carried out this provocation amid preparations for a nuclear test for the first time in five years since 2017.

China's Xinhua News Agency also provided detailed real-time coverage based on the announcement from South Korean military authorities.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.