North Korea's Kim Jong Un orders military to "thoroughly annihilate" U.S. if provoked, state media say
CBSJan 12
NKorea Launches Ballistic Missiles Towards Sea of Japan
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Above: A man watches a television showing a news broadcast with file footage of a North Korean missile test at a railway station in Seoul on Nov. 5, 2024. Image copyright: Anthony Wallace/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that North Korea launched a volley of ballistic missiles into the sea off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula toward the Sea of Japan, early Tuesday morning local time.
Pyongyang launched at least seven missiles. They flew 250 miles (400 km) at a maximum altitude of 60 miles (100 km) before crashing into the water between North Korea and Japan, according to Japan's Defense Ministry.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
These latest North Korean missile launches are unacceptable. To maintain peace and security across the Korean Peninsula and beyond, Pyongyang must stop its provocative and destabilizing acts. North Korea must also promptly resume disarmament talks instead of cooperating with Russia by providing weapons and soldiers.
Establishment-critical narrative
The US and its regional allies are responsible for the escalating military threats against North Korea, which have heightened tensions on the peninsula. The latest missile tests should prompt a re-evaluation of the American approach to the region. North Korea, Russia, and China have never been closer, and the US must reconsider its policies if it wants to ensure its security in the future.
