Kim Jong-un’s sister threatens US with Pacific ‘firing range’ as North Korea launches missiles

The powerful sister of Kim Jong-un has told the United States to prepare to defend itself because North Korea is increasing the force of its nuclear weapons, on a day the firing of yet more missiles heightened tensions in the Asia-Pacific region.

Japan’s Coast Guard confirmed on Monday morning that North Korea had fired three more ballistic missiles towards Japanese waters. It came after Pyongyang’s military launched its Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) at the weekend.

That test prompted the US to take to the skies with its own show of force, flying its long-range supersonic bombers alongside South Korean and Japanese warplanes. 

Kim Yo-jong, sister of the North Korean leader and vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, warned Washington that Pyongyang would react to any “direct or indirect threat”. 

“The frequency of using the Pacific as our firing range depends upon the US forces’ action,” read a statement from the influential figure, who is believed to be a possible successor to her older brother.

“We affirm once again that there is no change in our will to make the worst maniacs escalating the tensions pay the price for their action.”

Denying reports the ICBM warhead’s reentry had failed, she blasted nuclear experts as “stupid” and reaffirmed the weapons posed a threat to the US. Theoretically, ICMBs could travel as far as North America. 

“Such argument, made by those rookies who are lack of the said common sense and pretend to be experts, will not change in fact the crisis facing the US and South Korea,” Kim Yo-jong said.

“We have possessed satisfactory technology and capability and, now will focus on increasing the quantity of their force.

“They had better rack their brains to take measures to defend themselves, instead of doubting or worrying about other’s technology.”

Monday’s missile launch is the reclusive nation’s third major weapons test this year. In 2022, Pyongyang launched missiles on more than 30 separate occasions – including in March when it conducted what was thought to be the largest ICBM test ever with a weapon that flew to more than 6,000 km in altitude and travelled a range of about 1,100 km before falling inside Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). 

North Korea’s state news agency said that on Saturday the Hwasong-15 missile had flown as high as 5,768 km before accurately hitting a pre-set area 989 km away in open waters.

South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin told the Munich Security Conference on Saturday: “If North Korea conducts the seventh nuclear test, which could happen at any time, it will be a game changer in a sense that North Korea could develop and deploy tactical nuclear missiles.”