With the looming threat of a North Korean ballistic missile launch getting too close to comfort, South Korea had requested the United States for assistance in repelling such an attack. In lieu of this request, the United States has provided South Korea with 40 missiles for its Aegis destroyer, that would give a boost to South Korean defenses in face of a North Korean offensive.

This recent reinforcement comes at a time when, North Korea is all poised for a long range missile test. If this test is successful, then Pyongyang will have the capability to strike at targets in U.S territory, especially Hawaii and its short and medium range missile would be sufficient to cover entire South Korea with missile strikes.

The all new surface-to-air missiles for the South Korean Aegis destroyer are capable of tracking and intercepting incoming threats, especially ballistic missiles up to 160 km (100 miles) away.

In the month of April this year, North Korea had allegedly test fired its long range Taepodong-2 missile, in disguise of the rocket launch. This brought forward a flood of new sanctions on the already isolated North Korea, thus prohibiting Pyongyang from conducting any further missile tests.

After the second nuclear test conducted by North Korea in the month of May this year, the United Nations Security Council imposed even tougher sanction on North Korea, that Pyongyang refused to acknowledge and threatened that any more sanctions would be considered as ‘act of war’.

For last few days, U.S Navy destroyer USS John McCain has been following Kang Nam, a North Korean cargo vessel suspected of transporting missiles and components to Myanmar.

On Saturday, North Korea warned Japan to withdraw all reconnaissance efforts. Failing which, North Korea would shoot down any and all Japanese military planes that would breach North Korean airspace.

Via Reuters.