South Korea’s military says North Korea fired several cruise missiles into waters off its western coast, adding to a provocative run of weapons demonstrations in the face of deepening nuclear tensions with the United States, South Korea and Japan.
Quick Read
- North Korea’s Missile Launches: North Korea fired several cruise missiles into waters off its western coast, marking another event in its series of weapons demonstrations amid growing nuclear tensions with the United States, South Korea, and Japan.
- Analysis by U.S. and South Korea: The U.S. and South Korean militaries are analyzing these latest missile launches. Details about the number and specifics of the missiles are yet to be confirmed.
- North Korea’s Weapons Testing Progress: This event follows North Korea’s January 14 test-firing of its first solid-fuel intermediate-range ballistic missile. These tests are part of North Korea’s efforts to enhance its arsenal targeting U.S. military bases in Japan and Guam.
- Response by South Korea: South Korea’s military has heightened surveillance and vigilance, and is maintaining close coordination with the United States for any further developments.
- Escalating Tensions: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un continues to advance his weapons development program and issue threats of nuclear conflict against the U.S. and its allies. In response, the U.S., South Korea, and Japan have intensified their joint military exercises and deterrence strategies.
- North Korea’s Recent Nuclear-Capable Drone Test: North Korea claims to have tested a nuclear-capable underwater attack drone, citing naval exercises by the U.S., South Korea, and Japan as the provocation.
- North Korea’s Cruise Missile Development: North Korea has been focusing on developing a range of weapons, including long-range cruise missiles claimed to be nuclear-capable and able to reach up to 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles), posing a threat to South Korea and Japan.
- U.N. Sanctions and Detection Challenges: While North Korean cruise missile activities are not directly banned under U.N. sanctions, their capability to evade radar detection presents a significant threat.
- North Korea’s Strategy in U.S. Election Year: There are speculations that North Korea might escalate tensions to gain leverage in future negotiations following the U.S. presidential election in November.
- North Korea’s Pressure Tactics: Historically, North Korea has increased pressure on South Korea when negotiations with the U.S. do not yield desired results.
- Kim Jong Un’s Stance on South Korea: Kim Jong Un has declared an end to the goal of peaceful unification with South Korea, designating the South as a primary adversary and threatening nuclear retaliation if provoked.
- North Korea’s Regional Strategy: Analysts suggest that North Korea’s actions aim to diminish South Korea’s influence in the nuclear standoff and to push for direct negotiations with the U.S., while solidifying its status as a nuclear power.
The Associated Press has the story:
South Korea: North Korea has fired several cruise missiles into the sea
Newslooks- SEOUL, South Korea (AP) —
South Korea’s military says North Korea fired several cruise missiles into waters off its western coast, adding to a provocative run of weapons demonstrations in the face of deepening nuclear tensions with the United States, South Korea and Japan.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said Wednesday that the U.S. and South Korean militaries were analyzing the launches. It did not immediately confirm the exact number of missiles fired or their specific flight details.
The launches marked North Korea’s second known launch event of the year, following a Jan. 14 flight test-firing of the country’s first solid-fuel intermediate range ballistic missile, which reflected its efforts to advance its lineup of weapons targeting U.S. military bases in Japan and Guam. “Our military has increased surveillance and vigilance and is closely coordinating with the United States while monitoring for further signs and activity from North Korea,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have increased in recent months as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un continues to accelerate his weapons development and issue provocative threats of nuclear conflict with the United States and its Asian allies. The U.S., South Korea and Japan in response have been expanding their combined military exercises, which Kim portrays as invasion rehearsals, and sharpening their deterrence strategies built around nuclear-capable U.S. assets.
In the latest tit-for-tat, North Korea said last week that it conducted a test of a purported nuclear-capable underwater attack drone in response to a combined naval exercise by the United States, South Korea and Japan, as it blamed its rivals for tensions in the region.
Cruise missiles are among a broad range of weapons North Korea has been testing in recent years as it attempts to build a viable nuclear threat against the United States and its Asian allies.
Since 2021, the North has conducted several flight tests of what it describes as long-range cruise missiles, which it claims can cover ranges of up to 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles) away and are nuclear-capable.
While North Korean cruise missile activities aren’t directly banned under U.N. sanctions, experts say those weapons potentially pose a serious threat to South Korea and Japan, as they are designed to fly like small airplanes and travel along landscape that would make them harder to detect by radar.
There are concerns that North Korea would dial up tensions in a U.S. election year. Experts say the North would aim to increase its bargaining power as it plans for eventual negotiations with whoever wins the November presidential vote.
North Korea also has a long history of ramping up pressure on rival South Korea when it doesn’t get what it wants from Washington. At Pyongyang’s rubber-stamp parliament last week, Kim declared that North Korea is abandoning its long-standing goal of a peaceful unification with the South and ordered the rewriting of the North’s constitution to cement its war-divided rival as its most hostile foreign adversary. He accused South Korea of acting as “top-class stooges” of the Americans and repeated a threat that he would use his nukes to annihilate the South if provoked.
Analysts say North Korea could be aiming to diminish South Korea’s voice in the regional nuclear standoff and eventually force direct dealings with Washington as it looks to cement its nuclear status.
