North Korea tests short-range missile, warns US of 'fiercer' military action

In response to Washington's strengthened defence relations with South Korea and Japan and the escalating tensions in the area, North Korea conducted a ballistic missile test on Thursday and threatened the United States with a "fiercer military counteraction."

North Korea's foreign minister, Choe Son Hui, said in a statement released by the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) that the US bolstering its extended deterrence to partners in the region "is gambling for which it would undoubtedly regret."

According to Choe, "the fiercer (North Korean) military counteraction will be, in direct proportion to it, the higher the US defence deployment in the region."

The recent extensive joint military exercises between the US and its allies "failed to control" North Korea's response, Choe added, adding that "the US will be well aware that it is gambling, for which it would undoubtedly regret."

The warning, according to the KCNA statement, came in response to trilateral discussions between the US, South Korea, and Japan on Sunday at the ASEAN summit. President of the United States Joe Biden reaffirmed his country's commitment to bolstering extended deterrence and defending South Korea and Japan with a "full range of capabilities," including nuclear weapons, during the meeting.

In response to Pyongyang's missile testing, South Korea and the US have increased joint military drills and exercises as well as their own missile tests, which has contributed to the spike in tensions on the Korean Peninsula this year. According to South Korea's Defense Ministry, on Thursday, the US and South Korea conducted a missile defence exercise to reaffirm their strong cooperative defence stance.