Joint Security Area
Paju-si, Republic of Korea

Q    Madam Vice President, should Americans be concerned about these test launches that have been happening?  It’s now a record number this year.
 
THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Well, we — I talked with the President about it.  And it is clearly a provocation, and it is meant, we believe, to destabilize the region.  And we’re taking it seriously.
 
Q    What’s —
 
THE VICE PRESIDENT:  And everyone should.  It’s — it’s — we’ve counted probably 20 at this point.  So we’re taking it very seriously, and it is destabilizing for the region. 
 
And that is one of the reasons why the visit that I have made to Korea — to the Republic of Korea is important, because it is a statement about the strength of our alliance and our dedication — the United States’ dedication to this alliance, both in terms of security, prosperity, and stability for the region and for the Indo-Pacific as a whole. 
 
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