On Sunday morning, North Korea defied the world and launched a ballistic missile in a new test in defiance of United Nations (UN) sanctions. This action naturally prompted reaction around the world, including from the United States Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley.
Haley's reaction
Reaction from Nikki Haley came hours after the missile was launched when she was being interviewed on ABC's 'This Week.' She said that the missile test appeared to send a message to South Korea and their newly elected President, Moon Jae-in. She also suggested that North Korea's missile program was "getting kind of close to home" for Russia since the missile landed closer to them than Japan.
Haley blasted the missile test, saying that "it is not a way to sit down" with President Donald Trump. This test came after a top diplomat in North Korea said that they would be willing to meet with the administration for negotiations, "if the conditions are set."
Haley also cautioned that the United States would continue to "tighten the screws" on North Korea. She also added that Kim-Jong Un was in a "state of paranoia."
Reaction from the White House
The White House reacted by saying in an official statement that "North Korea has been a flagrant menace for far too long." It was also suggested by the White House that Russia should be concerned, due to where the missile landed. These would be comments that Nikki Haley would echo hours later.
The White House statement also added, "the President cannot imagine that Russia is pleased."
North Korea's missile test
North Korea launched an unidentified ballistic missile off Kusong early Sunday morning. According to South Korea officials, it flew 430 miles after spending around 30 minutes in the air before landing in the Sea of Japan.
Today, North Korea announced that the missile it launched was a new ballistic missile.
They also added that this missile can carry a large, heavy nuclear warhead and warned that military bases the United States controls in the Pacific were within its range. American officials are calling it an intermediate-range ballistic missile, thought to have the longest range yet of any the country has tested.
North Korea's state news agency also said that leader Kim-Jong Un "declared that the D.P.R.K. is a nuclear power worthy of the name whether someone recognizes it or not." The state news also added that Kim-Jong Un said that if the U.S. provokes North Korea, it will not escape "the biggest disaster in history."
