North Korea Fires Three Short-Range Ballistic Missiles

The U.S. and South Korean military announced early Friday, September 3, that North Korea has tested three short-range missiles. This comes as the U.S. and South Korea are conducting a large military exercise simultaneously with the missile launches. According to Reuters, the U.S. Pacific Command stated in a statement that the three short-range ballistic missiles had an unsuccessful launch and exploded after traveling a distance. Meanwhile, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that the three missiles were launched from the Gangwon province in northeastern North Korea and traveled approximately 250 kilometers toward the sea. South Korea did not mention the unsuccessful launch but stated that it is investigating information regarding these missile tests. The U.S. Pacific Command indicated that the missile launches did not pose a threat to U.S. and South Korean forces. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have escalated following North Korea's missile tests, with North Korea recently testing two intercontinental ballistic missiles. According to the White House, Donald Trump, the U.S. President, had previously warned the North Korean leader that if he threatens the United States, he will face 'fire and fury' the world has never seen before. Subsequently, North Korea threatened to target the U.S. territory of Guam. However, Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, stated two weeks ago that he would delay this action but also mentioned that this decision could change depending on Washington's next move. In this context, Trump described Kim's decision regarding Guam as 'wise.' Mattis stated that a missile launch by North Korea would mean the beginning of war. The joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States have begun, and North Korea has described these exercises as 'pouring gasoline on the fire.'