October 14, 2022
MOFA response to North Korea again test-firing a short-range ballistic missile on October 14:
North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile from the Sunan District of Pyongyang toward the Sea of Japan on October 14 at 00:49 Taipei time, marking its ninth missile test since September 25. From the late hours of the previous night to the early hours of the morning, North Korea also dispatched a number of warplanes in a show of protest and fired artillery toward maritime buffer zones in the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan. The United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea condemned North Korea’s threats to undermine regional peace and stability.
Since January, North Korea has conducted 27 missile tests in the Korean Peninsula area. It has also further escalated regional tensions by stating that it does not rule out a preemptive nuclear strike under certain conditions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan) expresses grave concern over North Korea’s repeated missile tests and strongly condemns its military intimidation, which contravenes United Nations Security Council bans and disregards the expectations of peace-loving countries in the region.
The government of Taiwan is closely monitoring North Korea’s provocative actions and their potential impact across the region. As an important member of the Indo-Pacific, Taiwan recognizes efforts by regional countries to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. Taiwan is willing to cooperate with related measures initiated by the international community and work with like-minded countries to jointly curb authoritarian expansion and aggression, uphold the rules-based international order, and preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific.