PH denounces North Korea missile launch, stresses stability concerns

This picture taken on January 6, 2025 and released from North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on January 7, 2025 shows the launch of a hypersonic missile at an undisclosed location in North Korea. Agence France-Presse

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government once again called on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to cease ballistic missile launches, maintaining that activities such as this undermine economic progress, peace, and stability in the Korean Peninsula and the Indo-Pacific region.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) issued the statement on Thursday, days after North Korea successfully test-fired a new intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile.

READ: North Korea claims successful launch of new ballistic missile

“The Philippines expresses serious concern and strongly denounces the continuing ballistic missile launches conducted by the DPRK. Such provocative actions undermine economic progress, peace, and stability in the Korean Peninsula and the Indo-Pacific region,” said the DFA.

“We renew our call on the DPRK to promptly cease these activities and abide by all international obligations, including relevant UN Security Council Resolutions, and to commit to peaceful and constructive dialogue,” it added.

READ: North Korea boasts of ‘the world’s strongest’ missile, but experts say it’s too big to use in war

North Korea’s state-run Korean Central News Agency reported that the missile recently launched flew 1,500 kilometers to a simulated target at sea, reaching a velocity 12 times the speed of sound.