(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Hyo-jung = North Korea launched about 10 short-range ballistic missiles in bunches on the 20th, despite U.S. President Donald Trump's offer for dialogue.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (Joint Chiefs of Staff) announced that around 5 p.m. on this day, it detected about 10 short-range ballistic missiles launched from the Pyongyang area toward the East Sea.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said, “The captured North Korean missile flew about 300 km, and South Korea and the United States are conducting a detailed analysis of its exact specifications.”
He continued, “South Korean and U.S. intelligence authorities have been tracking and sharing related trends since the beginning of the launch, and have also shared information regarding North Korean ballistic missiles with Japan.”
The Joint Chiefs of Staff emphasized, “Under the solid ROK-US joint defense posture, we are closely monitoring various trends in North Korea and maintaining the ability and posture to respond overwhelmingly to any provocation.”
Military authorities are analyzing the possibility that North Korea launched a 600mm super-large multiple rocket launcher (KN-25). The 600mm super-large multiple rocket launcher is a weapon used against South Korea that North Korea claims can be equipped with a tactical nuclear warhead, the 'Hwasan-31'.
Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-baek said at the National Defense Committee of the National Assembly on this day, "We identified signs even before launch and prepared for readiness," and added, "(The launched missile) is believed to be a 600mm multiple rocket launcher, and we continuously tracked it from launch to flight and disappearance using the Green Pine (early warning) radar."
North Korea's launch that day took place while President Trump ordered a reduction in joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States and publicly sent a 'love call' to the North Korea-US summit.
Following President Trump's order to reduce ROK-US joint exercises on the 17th, South Korea and the United States significantly shortened the period of the theater-level ROK-US joint exercise 'Ulchi Freedom Shield' (UFS), which had already begun, from the previously planned 11 days to 5 days, and also reduced joint field training (FTX).
However, in a statement released through the Korean Central News Agency on the night of the 19th, Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the head of the Workers' Party's General Affairs Department, downplayed the reduction in joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States, saying, "I am not interested at all."
Director Kim also said, “Regardless of the excellent relationship between the leaders of the two countries, North Korea and the United States, the sovereign exercises we are taking to check forces that threaten our country’s security are very common sense, appropriate, and essential.”
The day after announcing this position, they launched a ballistic missile, demonstrating their ‘sovereignty’ through action.
The launch of a ballistic missile the day before the end of the UFS exercise, which is being held until the 21st due to a shortened period, is interpreted as an expression of dissatisfaction with the fact that the UFS exercise is still in progress and as a pressure to completely stop the joint ROK-US training.
North Korea fired about 10 ballistic missiles from the Sunan area into the East Sea on March 14, during the first half of the ROK-US joint exercise 'Shield of Freedom' (FS) and immediately after President Trump met with then-Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and showed his willingness to have dialogue with Chairman Kim Jong-un.
Afterwards, it was announced that the launch was a 600mm super-large multiple rocket launcher strike training. There is a possibility that this time too it may be a demonstration of similar nature.
This launch was also carried out immediately after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi concluded his visit to Korea on the 19th and 20th. News of this launch was delivered about an hour and a half after Director Wang left Korea.
It has been eight days since North Korea launched a ballistic missile, and the 12th time this year.
North Korea also launched one ballistic missile each into the East Sea on the 6th and 12th, ahead of the UFS exercise. So far, there have been three consecutive ballistic missile provocations in two weeks.
At around 6 a.m. on the 12th, a ballistic missile was launched from the Wonsan area to the East Sea, flying more than 700 km. On the afternoon of the 6th, a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) was fired from the Wonsan area into the East Sea.
In its National Assembly work report, the Ministry of National Defense interpreted this as “a military provocation in the nature of a reaction to the UFS exercise.”
However, in both launches, North Korea did not report the launches through state media, raising questions about the background.
