Trump offers sale of 'sophisticated' weapons to S Korea, Japan
US President Donald Trump has said he will allow huge sales of highly sophisticated military equipment to South Korea and Japan to counter supposed threats by North Korea.
“I am allowing Japan & South Korea to buy a substantially increased amount of highly sophisticated military equipment from the United States,” Trump tweeted on Tuesday.
Trump's announcement of fresh arms sales followed North Korea’s testing of a hydrogen bomb on Sunday that can be placed on an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
On Sunday, Trump spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe about Pyongyang’s test. The following day, Trump also spoke with South Korean President Moon Jae-in about the nuclear test.
Eventually, the US president said he agreed to increased sophisticated arms sales to its two regional allies, Japan and South Korea.
The announcement comes amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Tensions heightened after the US and its allies launched annual joint military exercises and North Korea launched repeated missile tests.
North Korea is under mounting international pressure over its missile and military nuclear programs and has been subjected to an array of United Nations sanctions. But it says it needs to continue and develop the programs as a deterrent against hostility by the US and its regional allies, including South Korea and Japan.
Pyongyang views repeated US war games in the region as a sign of hostility and practice for a possible future invasion.
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Russia to react to THAAD expansion: Moscow
Pyongyang, as well as its regional allies, China and Russia, view US military arms sales and its forces' presence in the East causing insecurity and instability in the region.
In addition, the deployment of advanced US military hardware in South Korea, Japan and Taiwan compromise the security of North Korea, China, Russia and their partners.
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