North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has said that his country’s recent hypersonic missile tests were conducted as preparations for an “actual war,” citing growing global instability and rising geopolitical tensions. The announcement was made alongside very strong criticism from North Korea regarding the military operation of the United States in Venezuela that resulted in the apprehension of President Nicolás Maduro.
On the words of North Korea’s government-operated Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim asserted that the missile firing was compelled by “the recent geopolitical crisis and the intricate international situations.” He reiterated that the boosting of the nation’s nuclear arsenal was needed to protect the nation from security threats in a more and more unpredictable world.
North Korea Condemns US Action in Venezuela
North Korea strongly criticised the United States for its military operation in Venezuela, calling the capture of President Maduro a “serious encroachment on sovereignty.” Pyongyang described the operation as a clear example of American “hegemonic behaviour” and accused Washington of violating international norms.
KCNA said the incident once again exposed what it termed the “rogue and brutal nature” of the US, adding that such actions threaten global stability and justify North Korea’s focus on military readiness.
US Response to Missile Tests
The North Korean missile tests were acknowledged by the United States Indo-Pacific Command, however, they pointed out that such actions are not posing any direct threat to the US and its allies at this moment. In the statement, the command declared that the US is always in dialogue with the regional partners and is absolutely dedicated to the protection of its land and allies.
Details of US Operation Against Maduro
The missile tests followed a dramatic US military operation, codenamed Operation Absolute Resolve, carried out on January 3. US forces reportedly entered Venezuelan territory, launched airstrikes in Caracas, and captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from the presidential palace.
Eventually, Maduro was flown to the USS Iwo Jima, then to Guantanamo Bay and afterwards to New York. He is presently at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn facing charges of being a member of a narco-terrorism ring. A court hearing in Manhattan on January 5 is scheduled for him.
Regional Fallout and Alerts
The missile launch from North Korea not only created a panic in Japan but also resulted in the troops in South Korea being put on alert. Presently, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who is in China on a state visit, is understood to be seeking the assistance of Beijing in order to reduce the tensions in Pyongyang and the region.
These events are indicative of a world that is increasingly uncertain, and they also show the North using its military responses as a link to the wider international confrontations while at the same time declaring the US presence in the area a motive for enhancing its nuclear activities and military readiness.
