#North Korea's unsuccessful and well-publicized missile test was, according to United States Defense Secretary Mister James Mattis a failed and globally frowned-upon attempt to "provoke something." On Sunday the North Korean missile took off and then exploded almost immediately after it went live, according to the Pentagon.
After some extensive and heated rhetoric from both #United States and North Korea, Mattis said that the United States under President Trump would be happy and willing to now attempt to work alongside #China in an effort to reduce the simmering tensions that the world watched gather force last week.
Those in #South Korea are breathing huge sighs of relief after the country was plagued by uncertainty and fear, as shown in various social media sites last week, with many citizens panicking about the possibility of being caught up in a US and North Korean nuclear-style showdown.
North Korea continue to mouth threats
Monday following the tests, the foreign minister Han Song-ryol explained to the BBC that #North Korea would be testing missiles on a weekly schedule and that all-out war would ensue if the United States attempted to intervene with some military action. "If the US is planning a military attack against us, we will react with a nuclear pre-emptive strike by our own style and method," Mr Han said on Monday.
And as this was being reported, The Guardian newspaper reported within the same day that anonymous officials had said that the United States had been toying with the idea of shooting down any #North Korean missile tests that did take place to show they have the upper hand. This would have been a show of strength and power for the US, but it did risk a retaliation by the embattled North Korean enemy.
Mr Mattis explained that the missile the North Koreans fired off on Sunday was not an #Intercontinental Ballistic Missile but that the exercise had still been a reckless one that aimed to provoke tensions. Mattis then said that this is the reason the United States is working with China right now, to try and get "this under control and aim for the #denuclearized Korean peninsula," he added.
China has also criticized North Korea's military tests, even thought the US has said that China hasn’t done enough in the past. In February however China banned North Korean coal imports and then the #Chinese media reported that there could be a reduction in shipments of oil products and services to the North Korean country if the military exercises continue.
The United States react
The United States, meanwhile, are toying with even harsher economic sanctions on the isolated country. This, along with a global and disabling ban on the North Korean airline, as well as the blockage of cargo ships and punishments to those Chinese banks that continue to trade and profit off #North Korea, as reported by the Reuters news agency.
North Korea has augmented and accelerated its military and nuclear style missile testing in the past few weeks, given #Obama was unwilling to respond with military action. Many saw his somewhat passive stance with the country as giving permission for them to continue behaving recklessly. His most potent display of force was #economic sanctions on the country.
#North Korea's nuclear and missile tests have promoted and attracted international condemnation and the creation and deployment of tough UN sanctions that has made life in the isolated country a difficult and challenging equation. The country wants to place a nuclear warhead on a functional intercontinental ballistic missile that will then be able to head to targets such as the United States.
