North Korea yesterday fired several short-range ballistic missiles into the sea, according to South Korea’s military, in what experts said could be a message to US president-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration.
The launch comes as Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Takeshi Iwaya visits South Korea for a series of meetings with top officials, with the Asian neighbors seeking to boost bilateral ties before Trump returns to office next week.
“The South Korean military detected several short-range ballistic missiles fired into the East Sea,” the South Korean military said, referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan.
Photo: AFP
It said the launch took place at about 9:30am near North Korea’s Ganggye area, with the missiles flying 250km before landing in the sea.
“The intelligence authorities of South Korea and the US have detected and monitored North Korea’s missile launch preparations in advance, and immediately detected and tracked them at the time of launch,” the military said.
It said it was maintaining “full readiness” and sharing information with the US and Japan, while “strengthening surveillance and alertness” for more launches.
Acting South Korean President Choi Sang-mok criticized the launch, saying it breached UN Security Council resolutions.
“Seoul will respond more strongly to North Korea’s provocations based on its strong security posture and alliance with the US,” he said.
Experts said the latest launch could be intended as a message to the incoming Trump administration.
“It could be aimed at the US,” University of North Korean Studies president Yang Moo-jin said. “It may indicate an intention to put pressure ahead of the Trump administration’s second term.”
Ahn Chan-il, a defector-turned-researcher who runs the World Institute for North Korea Studies, said the test launch “appears to be an intention to assert presence ahead of the Trump administration.”
He said it could also be aimed at “destabilizing South Korea during Seoul’s own period of turmoil.”
Relations between the two Koreas have been at one of their lowest points in years, with the North launching a flurry of ballistic missiles last year in a breach of UN sanctions.
The launch yesterday was Pyongyang’s second this year, after it fired last week what it said was a new hypersonic missile system.
The location of the test site was undisclosed, but images released by North Korean state media showed North Korean leader Kim Jong-un observing last week’s launch with his teenage daughter, Ju Ae.
Last week’s alleged hypersonic missile launch came as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was visiting South Korea. While in Seoul, Blinken said Russia was increasing cooperation with Pyongyang, adding that they were working ever more closely on advanced space technology.
Ahn said another reason for yesterday’s launch might be the testing of “missiles for export to Russia to be used in Ukraine.”
US and South Korean intelligence believe that North Korea in October last year started to send thousands of troops to fight against Ukraine and has since suffered hundreds of casualties.
A South Korean lawmaker on Monday said that about 300 North Korean troops had been killed and 2,700 wounded, citing information from South Korea’s spy agency.
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