Tokyo : North Korea on Wednesday launched three ballistic missiles, including a possible intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), toward the waters off its east coast, South Korea’s military said. A similar provocative action incurred on Tuesday when Russian and Chinese warplanes neared Japan’s airspace.
A joint statement by QUAD Leaders following the summit that was hosted by Japan in Tokyo condemned the launches called on the international community to abide by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.
“We condemn North Korea’s destabilizing ballistic missile development and launches, including multiple intercontinental ballistic missile tests, in violation of UNSCRs, and call on the international community to fully implement these resolutions. We urge North Korea to abide by all of its obligations under the UNSCRs, refrain from provocations, and engage in substantive dialogue,” said the statement.
Japan scrambled jets after the incident while it's Defence Minister, Nobuo Kishi, expressed “grave concerns" to both Russia and China through diplomatic channels.
The China-Russia joint exercise came ahead of a meeting of heads of state of Quad - US, India, Australia and Japan - in Tokyo. Meanwhile, North Korea's test of a nuclear missile has doubled the concerns.
North Korea fired the missiles hours after Biden wrapped up a trip to the region, where he vowed to strengthen deterrence against the North’s growing nuclear threat.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were launched from Sunan, near Pyongyang, the North’s capital, at 6 a.m., 6:37 and 6:42.
This was North Korea’s 17th missile test this year. American and South Korean officials have been warning in recent weeks that the North was ready to conduct either a nuclear test or an intercontinental ballistic missile test.
Two Chinese warplanes flew over the Sea of Japan from the East China Sea and were then joined by two Russian warplanes for a flight together toward the East China Sea, Japan’s Kishi said.
Later, the two Chinese warplanes were replaced by another pair believed to be Chinese, which then flew with the Russians on a long flight toward the Pacific Ocean, he said.
A Russian reconnaissance plane also flew over the open sea from the northern island of Hokkaido to the Noto peninsula on Japan's main island, he said.
None of the aircraft entered into Japan's airspace, he said.
Russia and China confirmed that they conducted joint patrols over the seas between Japan and eastern China. China described it as just a routine joint exercise.
U.S. officials say this is the first joint military exercise between China and Russia since the invasion of Ukraine.
The Quad leaders stressed their determination to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific region in the face of an increasingly assertive China.