Biden discusses North Korean missile launch with Japanese prime minister

President Biden on Thursday met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida while in Brussels to discuss a North Korean missile launch overnight.

“The two Leaders discussed DPRK’s launch of a long-range ballistic missile, which both Leaders strongly condemned, stressed the need for diplomacy, and agreed to continue working together to hold the DPRK accountable,” a White House official said in a statement.

Biden and Kishida met on the sidelines of a gathering NATO and Group of Seven (G-7) leaders in Brussels in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

While world leaders were arriving in Belgium, North Korea test-fired its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) since 2017. The missile traveled nearly 700 miles before crashing into the water west of Japan.

Officials from the U.S., Japan and South Korea have condemned the missile launch.

“This launch is a brazen violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions and needlessly raises tensions and risks destabilizing the security situation in the region,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement. “This action demonstrates that the DPRK continues to prioritize its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs over the well-being of its people.”

The Biden administration has attempted to establish communications with North Korea, but has thus far been unsuccessful. Former President Donald Trump met multiple times in-person with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un before denuclearization talks fell through.