North Korea Fires Missile Amid U. S. -South Korea Meetings

On Monday, North Korea launched a ballistic missile as U. S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was visiting South Korea. Blinken warned that North Korea was getting closer to Russia in terms of advanced space technology. He also mentioned that while a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas would likely end the war in Gaza, it might not happen until after President Biden's term. Blinken and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul condemned the missile launch at a joint press conference. Blinken said it was another violation of multiple U. N. Security Council resolutions. He also accused Russia of expanding its space cooperation with North Korea. The missile flew around 680 miles before falling into the sea. South Korea responded by strengthening its surveillance and vigilance. The launch happened two weeks before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, who had previously tried to engage with North Korea. Blinken reaffirmed the U. S. 's commitment to defending South Korea and discussed bilateral and trilateral cooperation with the acting president, Choi Sang-mok. The test comes at a time of political turmoil in South Korea, with President Yoon Suk Yeol facing impeachment. Blinken also talked about the Israel-Hamas conflict. He was confident that a ceasefire deal would be reached, possibly after Biden's term. He mentioned that there had been increased engagement from Hamas but that the deal was not yet complete.