North Korea warns the US against shooting down missile tests

Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un, warned in a statement that Pyongyang would see it as a “declaration of war” if the U.S. took military action against the North’s strategic weapon tests

North Korea said any move to shoot down one of its test missiles would be considered a declaration of war and blamed joint military exercise between the United States and South Korea for growing tensions, state media KCNA said on Tuesday. Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un, warned in a statement that Pyongyang would see it as a “declaration of war” if the U.S. took military action against the North’s strategic weapon tests. She also hinted that the North could fire more missiles into the Pacific Ocean.

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The US and its allies have never shot down North Korean ballistic missiles, which are banned by the United Nations Security Council, but the question drew new scrutiny since the North suggested it will fire more missiles over Japan. “The Pacific Ocean does not belong to the dominium of the U.S. or Japan,” Kim said. In a separate statement, the chief of the Foreign News Section at North Korea’s Foreign Ministry accused the U.S. of “aggravating” the situation by conducting a joint air drill with a B-52 bomber on Monday and planning U.S.-South Korea field exercises. The two countries will conduct more than 10 days of large-scale military exercises known as the “Freedom Shield” drills starting next week.

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