25 Sep 2017 | 09:06 PM UTC
Korean Peninsula: Escalating tensions as of September 25 /update 2
Tensions continue to rise following US military activity and escalating rhetoric; US bans all non-diplomatic travel to and from North Korea September 25
Event
Tensions continue to rise on the Korean Peninsula as US warplanes flew near the eastern coast of North Korea on Saturday, September 23. US officials described the move as a show of force to demonstrate the country's military capabilities. In response, North Korea Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho stated before the UN General Assembly on Saturday that the country is ready to defend itself, including by targeting US territories with missiles. North Korean State Media also released a video simulating the destruction of US aircraft and warships.
On Monday, September 25, Foreign Minister Ri accused the US of declaring war after US President Donald Trump tweeted that North Korea “won’t be around much longer” and threatened to shoot down any US warplanes that come near the country, even if they are in international airspace. US officials denied that any declaration of war had been made and dismissed the North Korean claim as absurd.
Furthermore, on Sunday, September 24, US officials announced that North Korea would be added to the list of countries affected by a controversial travel ban. The ban blocks any non-diplomatic travel by North Koreans to the United States from October 18. A ban against US nationals traveling to North Korea had already been put into effect on September 1.
Context
The recent actions come after several days of increasingly bellicose statements from North Korean officials and US President Trump. On Tuesday, September 19, President Trump addressed the UN General Assembly, in which he asserted that he would "totally destroy North Korea" if it threatened the US or its allies. Previous statements by President Trump, joint US-South Korean military exercises, and sanctions issued by the UN Security Council, have led to the North Korean regime carrying out missile test launches (e.g. September 15) and nuclear tests (e.g. September 3).
Advice
Individuals in East Asia and Oceania are advised to monitor developments to the situation and follow any instructions provided by local authorities in the event of a North Korean missile launch.
