On the final day of the United Nations General Assembly on September 27th, North Korea seemingly intentionally conducted a missile launch to closely coincide with a speech at the body by its ambassador Kim Song. The missile was launched into international waters in the Sea of Japan, although it was not confirmed what kind of missile was fired. The United Nations Security Council notably banned the East Asian state from testing ballistic missiles, although the projectile launched may well have been one of the country’s new cruise missile designs which are not banned.
At the assembly Sung stressed that North Korea had an inviolable right to self defence which included a right to test weapons to test weapons, particularly in light of the hostile policies pursued by other countries. “The possible outbreak of a new war on the Korean Peninsula is contained not because of the U.S.’s mercy on the DPRK [North Korea],” he stated. “It is because our state is a growing reliable deterrent that can control the hostile forces in the attempts of a military invasion.” At a time when the two Koreas moved towards a possible peace agreement, Song stressed that if the U.S. ended its hostile policies: “we are also prepared to respond willingly at any time,” highlighting the possibility of ending the Korean War which has been ongoing for 71 years. A precondition, he noted, would be ending military exercises aimed at Pyongyang and stopping the deployment of strategic weapons. “But it is our judgment that there is no prospect at the present stage for the U.S. to really withdraw its hostile policy,” he added.