North Korea fires missiles ahead of Seoul leader’s China trip
South Korea and Japan reported multiple ballistic missile launches from North Korea early Sunday morning, with the projectiles flying approximately 900 kilometers toward the sea. The launches occurred just hours before South Korean President Lee Jae Myung was scheduled to depart for Beijing for crucial talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The South Korean military’s joint chiefs of staff confirmed detecting the launches from the capital region around 7:50 a.m. local time. They are currently working with US authorities to analyze the specifics of these launches. South Korea stressed its readiness to counter any provocations and is maintaining close information exchanges with both the US and Japan regarding the incident.
Japan’s defence ministry also detected a potential ballistic missile, noting that two missiles reached an altitude of 50,000 meters and traveled distances of approximately 900 km and 950 km respectively. Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi condemned North Korea’s nuclear and missile development as a threat to regional and international peace and stability, deeming it “absolutely intolerable.”
Following the launches, Seoul’s national security council convened an emergency meeting. A presidential office statement characterized the act as provocative and a violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
This marks North Korea’s first ballistic missile launch since November, a period that followed the US President’s approval of South Korea’s plan to acquire a nuclear-powered submarine. Analysts suggest that the US military operation in Venezuela the previous day may have also influenced Pyongyang’s decision to conduct the test. North Korea has long maintained that its nuclear and missile programs are essential deterrents against alleged US regime-change efforts, though Washington has consistently denied such intentions.
The timing of the launches is significant, occurring ahead of President Lee Jae Myung’s meeting with Xi Jinping. China is a primary economic supporter of North Korea, and Seoul hopes to leverage Beijing’s influence to foster improved relations with Pyongyang.
These missile tests precede a significant upcoming event for North Korea: a landmark congress of its ruling party, the first in five years. Economic policy, along with defense and military planning, are expected to be prominent on the agenda. In preparation for this congress, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has reportedly ordered an “expansion” and modernization of the country’s missile production capabilities, including the construction of new factories to meet escalating demand. State media reported on Sunday that Kim had visited a facility involved in the production of tactical guided weapons, directing an increase in current production capacity by 250%.
– David MillerRT (Miller.D@theseouljournal.com)
