Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff released a statement saying that the missiles had “flew approximately 350 kms (217 mi) at an altitude of about 90 kilometres”, and called them “serious provocations”.
According to Seoul’s military, North Korea launched two ballistic missiles into sea waters early Sunday. These were the seventh such launches in two weeks. They came hours after a US-nuclear-powered aircraft carrier completed joint drills off of the Korean peninsula.
Washington, Seoul and Tokyo have increased their combined naval exercises in the last weeks. This has angered Pyongyang who sees them as rehearsals of invasion and justified its missile launches as “countermeasures”.
After talks have been deadlocked for decades, Pyongyang has stepped up its efforts to ban weapons programmes. Last week, it fired an intermediate range missile at Japan. Officials and analysts warned that Pyongyang is ready for another nuclear test.
South Korea’s military announced Sunday it had detected two short-range ballistic weapons between 0148, 0158 (1648-1658 GMT), which were fired from the Munchon area of Kangwon province in Kangwon towards the East Sea.” This is the same body of water known as the Sea of Japan.
Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff released a statement saying that the missiles had “flew approximately 350 kms (217 mi) at an altitude of about 90 kilometres”, and called them “serious provocations”.
Tokyo confirmed the launches. The coast guard stated that the missiles landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
Toshiro Inou, Japan’s senior vice defence minister, said Tokyo was analyzing the missiles. He added that “either one has the potential to be a submarine -launched balistic missile (SLBM).
Seoul reported last month that it had detected signs that North Korea was preparing an SLBM. This weapon Pyongyang first tested in May.
The US military’s Indo-Pacific Command released a statement saying that they were “consulting close with our allies, partners” and that the launch demonstrated the “destabilizing nature of North Korea’s nuclear missile programmes.
Drills. Drills, drills
North Korea’s missile launches are usually intended to improve its capabilities. But, the recent launches from different locations and at different times of the day “may be intended for military readiness”, stated Leif Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University.
“The Kim regime wants to coerce Seoul Tokyo Washington to end their trilateral security cooperation.”
Following the missile test, officials from South Korea pledged to improve their cooperation in an emergency meeting held by Seoul’s National Security Council.
This launch is part of a record-breaking year of weapons tests conducted by North Korea. Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea’s isolated nation, declared last month an “irreversible”, nuclear power. It effectively ended any chance of denuclearisation.
Washington, Seoul, Tokyo, and Tokyo have increased joint military drills as a response. The USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carriers and strike group were redeployed to the region last week.
Seoul’s military announced Thursday that 30 fighter jets were available after North Korean warplanes flew a rare formation flight. It also reported that the drills involved air-to-surface firing.
Go Myonghyun, a researcher from the Asan Institute for Policy Studies said North Korea wanted to claim its sanctions-busting weapon tests were the same type as the defensive joint drills conducted between allies.
“North Korea is trying give equivalence via its continued missile launch,” he said to AFP.
No new Sanctions
Analysts claim that Pyongyang is able to carry out its weapons testing and is certain that it will be protected from any further sanctions by the United Nations gridlock.
Last week, the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting in order to discuss Pyongyang’s launch above Japan. Analysts and officials said that it was a Hwasong-12 which traveled the longest horizontal distance of any North Korean missile test.
At the meeting, North Korea’s longtime ally, and economic benefactor China blamed Washington. Geng Shuang (Deputy Chinese Ambassador) accused the United States of “poisoning security in the region”.
Linda Thomas Greenfield, US ambassador to UN called for strengthening existing sanctions on North Korea. Russia and China vetoed this request in May.
Since months, the council has been divided by Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions. Russia is supportive and China is pushing for punishment.
Kim told AFP that “to Kim’s advantage, there are other contingencies occupying US policymakers,” which involves his two primary supporters, Russia and China,” Soo Kim from the RAND Corporation.
She said that she was not certain that Moscow or Beijing would be supporting the US on North Korea’s issue anytime soon.
Washington and Seoul officials have been warning Pyongyang for months about a second nuclear test. It is likely to happen after China’s Communist Party Congress this month.
Ankit Panda, a US-based security analyst, stated that a flurry missile tests similar to the one seen could signal a build-up towards a nuclear test. However it’s difficult to predict the timing of a nuclear test with any accuracy.
