TASS, March 27. Pyongyang's last missile launch towards the Sea of Japan was in self-defense amid joint US-South Korean military exercises, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Saturday.
"This time, the test launch of a tactical guided missile of a new type is <...> an action based on the right to self-defense of a sovereign state," the KCNA said, citing Ri Pyong-chol, secretary of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK).
"In the current situation, when South Korea and the United States are constantly conducting dangerous military exercises, importing ultra-modern weapons, <...> we had to gather military forces to reliably protect the security of our state," he said as quoted by the agency.
In his statement, the North Korean official regarded the comments of US President Joe Biden, who said that North Korea’s tests violated U.N. Resolution 1718, as "a manifestation of hostility." "Such statements by the President of the United States are an open encroachment on the right to self-defense of our state," according to the statement.
The North Korean official stressed that the new US administration "took a wrong start" in politics. In addition, the secretary called the position of the American authorities "belligerent," adding that such an attitude indicates again "which path North Korea should follow."
The statement emphasizes that the DPRK authorities intend to "continue to build up <...> military power."
On Thursday, Biden said that North Korea’s tests violated U.N. Resolution 1718. He warned that there will be "responses" if North Korea escalates, but signaled he was open to diplomacy.
North Korea launched two ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan on Thursday for the first time since March 29, 2020. The test-launches were registered by Japan’s Coast Guard and confirmed by the South Korean and US militaries.
According to the data of Japan’s Defense Ministry, the two missiles flew to a range of about 450 km, climbing to the highest flight point of less than 100 km. They fell outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone. Meanwhile, the South Korean military reported that the missiles had climbed to the highest point of 60 km and flown to a range of about 430 km.