North Korea’s decision to launch two short-range missiles has come as a challenge to Joe Biden’s administration. The launch, which was first reported on Tuesday, is the first such missile tests from Pyongyang since President Biden took office. Kim Jong-un’s decision to restart missile tests has sparked a furious response from former US military leader General Keane who argued that the recent launch posed a “major threat” to US troops in the region.
The four-star general told Fox News: “Look these short-range missiles they were fired in the vicinity fo 80,000 US troops and our allies in South Korea and Japan.
“We should not minimalise it the way president Biden just did.
“That is a major threat to our allies and to our own troops in the region.”
General Keane also accused Russia and China of providing Pyongyang with “a lifeline” by supporting North Korea.
It comes as North Korean officials threatened the United States with “invincible physical power” after the Biden administration condemned Pyongyang for the ballistic missile tests.
Speaking to the KCNA news agency Ri Pyong Chol, an official from North Korea’s governing Worker’s Party’s Central Committee, responded with a chilling warning.
He accused the US of making “thoughtless remarks” that amount to an “undisguised encroachment on our state’s right to self-defence and provocation”.
In a chilling threat, he warned Washington could experience “something that is not good” if its current behaviour continues.
The US recently completed a military exercise with South Korea which infuriated Pyongyang.
However, the exercise was scaled down as Washington hopes to restart negotiations with North Korea over the country’s nuclear weapons.
In the statement, Mr Ri insisted North Korea will increase its military strength to confront America’s “gangster-like logic”.
He saod: “We know very well what we must do. We will continue to increase our most thoroughgoing and overwhelming military power.”