Washington hit Pyongyang with fresh sanctions last week and North Korea responded by doubling down on testing, asserting its "legitimate right" to self-defence. The most recent weapons test involved two "tactical guided missiles" that "precisely hit an island target in the East Sea of Korea," state news agency KCNA said Tuesday. "It lags far behind on that point in its rivalry with Seoul," said Cheong Seong-chang of the Center for North Korea Studies at the Sejong Institute. The United States called on North Korea Monday to "cease its unlawful and destabilizing activities". A freight train from North Korea arrived at the Chinese border city of Dandong for the first time since early 2020 on Sunday.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 18, 2022 15:07 UTC