'Declaration Of War': North Korea Warns US Against Shooting Down Missile Tests

Kim Jong Un’s powerful sister Kim Jo Yong warned in a statement that Pyongyang would see it as a “declaration of war” if the US took military action against the North’s strategic weapon tests. 

North Korea has warned of a declaration of war if its missile tests are shot down. (Representational Image)

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North Korea has warned of a declaration of war if its test missiles are shot down blaming the growing tensions on the joint military exercise between the United States and South Korea, reported state media KCNA on Tuesday. Kim Jong Un’s powerful sister Kim Jo Yong warned in a statement that Pyongyang would see it as a “declaration of war” if the US took military action against the North’s strategic weapon tests. 

Jo Yong also hinted that the North could fire more missiles into the Pacific Ocean. Banned by the United Nations Security Council, the United States and its allies have never shot down North Korean ballistic missiles but the question drew new scrutiny since the North suggested it will fire more missiles over Japan, stated a report by Reuters.

"The Pacific Ocean does not belong to the dominium of the U.S. or Japan," Kim said.

Quoting analysts, the report said that if Pyongyang follows through on its threat to turn the Pacific Ocean into a "firing range", it would allow the isolated and nuclear-armed state to make technical advances in addition to signalling its military resolve.

In a separate statement, the chief of the Foreign News Section at North Korea's Foreign Ministry accused Washington of "aggravating" the situation by conducting a joint air drill with a B-52 bomber on Monday and planning U.S.-South Korea field exercises.

Responding to the accusation, South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which is tasked with handling relations with the North, said Pyongyang's "reckless nuclear and missile development" is to blame for the deteriorating situation.

The United States deployed the B-52 bomber for a joint drill with South Korean fighter jets, in what South Korea's defence ministry said was a show of force against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats.