Furious reactions have continued to trail North Korea’s missile launch over Japan’s airspace, an act which has been described in many quarters as the most daring act of war mongering.

The missile travelling at some 2,700km, reached a maximum altitude of about 550km and flew over Hakkaido Island at around 6:06 a.m. local time before crashing into the sea, 1,180km east of Cape Erimo.

Following the perceived threat, Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe swiftly criticised the missile launch, describing it as an “unprecedented and grave threat” to his country.

“The outrageous act of firing a missile over our country is an unprecedented, serious and grave threat and greatly damaged regional peace and security” Abe said shortly after holding a 4-hour phone conservation with his United States counterpart, Donald Trump.

South Korea responded to the missile launch by holding a live-fire drill to showcase a strong punishment capability against the North. Four F-15k fighter jets dropped eight MK84 bombs on a target meant to simulate the Pyongyang hideout of North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-Un.

A South Korean Defense Ministry official said shortly after the exercise:“The drill reconfirmed South Korean Air Force capability to destroy the enemy’s leadership in cases of emergency.”

In its reaction, the United Kingdom’s disarmament ambassador, Robert Wood described Pyongyang’s latest missile launch as “another provocation” that has generated concerns to many governments even as the country’s Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson expressed his outrage at what he termed a “reckless provocation from North Korea.”

US President,Donald Trump did not mince words as he said the recent exercise by North Korea has alienated the Asian nation from other nations of the world.

“The world has received North Korea’s latest message loud and clear: this regime has signaled its contempt for its neigbhours, for all members of the United Nations and for minimum standards of acceptable international behaviour.

“Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime’s isolation in the region and among all nations of the world. All options are on the table,” Trump said in a White House statement.

 

He said he and Mr. Abe were committed to increasing pressure on North Korea and doing their utmost best to convince the international community to do the same.