MOFA response to North Korea’s test-firing of missiles on the morning of November 2
November 2, 2022
North Korea launched more than 10 missiles each toward the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan on the morning of November 2. These included three short-range ballistic missiles fired from the Wonsan area of Kangwon Province toward the Sea of Japan at around 07:51 Taipei time. One of these landed in the waters south of the Northern Limit Line (NLL) on the Republic of Korea side, triggering air raid warnings on Ulleung, an outlying island off the east coast of the Republic of Korea. This was the first time that North Korea has launched a missile toward the waters south of the NLL. The United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea strongly rebuked North Korea for its actions, which undermine regional peace and stability.
Since January, North Korea has conducted 29 missile tests. It has also announced a nuclear weapons policy law, stating that it does not rule out a preemptive nuclear strike under certain conditions. Furthermore, it is making related preparations to resume nuclear test explosions, further escalating regional tensions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan) expresses grave concern over North Korea’s repeated tests of various types of missiles in disregard of United Nations Security Council prohibitions, and it strongly condemns such conduct, which has eroded regional peace and stability.
As an important member of the Indo-Pacific, Taiwan will continue to closely follow North Korea’s provocative actions and their potential impact on the region. The government of Taiwan recognizes efforts by the United States, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and other countries in the region to promote peace, prosperity, and denuclearization across the Korean Peninsula. It is also willing to work with like-minded countries to deter authoritarian expansion and aggression, uphold the rules-based international order, and safeguard a free and open Indo-Pacific.