Lockheed Martin

North Korea said yesterday that it had successfully tested an intermediate-range ballistic missile which met all technical requirements and could now be mass-produced, indicating advances in its ambitions to be able to hit the United States.

Slapping import bans on products like mangoes, coal and salmon has long been China's way of punishing countries that refuse to toe its political line.

But Beijing has shown that it can also hurt others by cutting a lucrative Chinese export: Tourists who normally flock to South Korea or Taiwan.

Gunner's mates inspect linked belts of Mark 149 Mod 2 20mm ammunition before loading it into the magazine of a Mark 16 Phalanx close-in weapons system aboard the battleship USS MISSOURI - Photo: Wikipedia

Beijing has called for an immediate stop to the deployment of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system to South Korea and is ready to protect its interests, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang voiced the government's position against the move during a briefing on Tuesday.

North Korea accused the United States yesterday of pushing the Korean peninsula to the brink of nuclear war after a pair of strategic U.S. bombers flew training drills with the South Korean and Japanese air forces in another show of strength.

The United States military started installing a controversial antimissile defense system in South Korea overnight Tuesday, triggering protests and sparking criticism that it was rushing to get the battery in place before the likely election of a president who opposes it.

The United States and South Korea agreed on the early deployment of a controversial US missile defence system in the region, the South's acting president said Monday after talks with visiting US Vice President Mike Pence, AFP reported.

The United States and South Korea agreed on April 6 to proceed with the deployment of an advanced U.S. missile defence system that has angered China, while the U.S.

North Korea fired four ballistic missiles into the sea off Japan’s northwest coast early on Monday, South Korean and Japanese officials said, days after the reclusive state promised retaliation over U.S.-South Korea military drills it sees as a preparation for war.

Lockheed Martin Corp said on March 3 it was talking to the governments of Spain, Switzerland and Belgium about selling its F-35 fighter jets to the European nations.

Bringing new customers could help significantly reduce the cost of the military aircraft after several blowouts and production delays. The United States and 10 allies are clients of the F-35 currently.