North Korea fires two unidentified projectiles as it resumes weapons demonstrations
- Kim Jong-un began the New Year vowing to bolster his nuclear deterrent in face of ‘gangster-like’ US sanctions and pressure
- The lack of activity has given rise to speculation that North Korea has instead been distracted by the deadly coronavirus outbreak
The launches from an area near Wonsan came two days after North Korea’s state media said leader Kim Jong-un supervised an artillery drill aimed at testing the combat readiness of units in front-line and eastern areas.
Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed the launches in a statement but could not immediately say how far the projectiles flew or whether the weapons were ballistic or rocket artillery.
Kim makes first public appearance in 22 days amid virus outbreak
The projectiles flew about 240km, reaching an altitude of 35km, South Korea’s defence ministry said, which would be similar to some short-range ballistic missiles launched in 2019. The office of South Korean President Moon Jae-in expressed “strong concern” about the launches after a special meeting of security ministers on Monday, saying the tests were likely conducted as part of military drills.
Kim had entered the New Year vowing to bolster his nuclear deterrent in face of “gangster-like” US sanctions and pressure, using a key ruling party meeting in late December to warn of “shocking” action over stalled nuclear negotiations with the Trump administration.
He also said the North would soon reveal a new “strategic weapon” and insisted the North was no longer “unilaterally bound” to a self-imposed suspension on the testing of nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missiles.
But the lack of testing activity in past months had experts wondering whether the North was holding back its weapons displays while pushing a tough campaign to against the coronavirus, which state media has described as a matter of “national existence”.
South Korea’s security ministers on Monday expressed “strong concern” the North was “carrying out actions giving rise to military tensions”, the presidential Blue House said.
China reiterated a call for dialogue in response to North Korea’s launch and said all sides involved in efforts to rid the Korean Peninsula of nuclear weapons should reconcile conflicts through discussion. Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a daily news briefing.
Japan said it has not detected any projectile landing in Japan’s territory or its exclusive economic zone, and no sea vessels or aircraft had been damaged.
“The repeated firings of ballistic missiles by North Korea is a serious problem for the international community including Japan, and the government will continue to gather and analyse information, and monitor the situation to protect the lives and property of the people,“ the Defence Ministry’s statement said.
Kim’s latest show of force is apparently aimed at boosting military morale, strengthening internal unity and showing that his country is doing fine despite outside worries of how the North would contend with an outbreak.
North Korea has yet to confirm any Covid-19 cases, although state media have hinted that an uncertain number of people have been quarantined after exhibiting symptoms.
North Korea has shut down nearly all cross-border traffic, banned tourists, intensified screening at entry points and mobilised tens of thousands of health workers to monitor residents and isolate those with symptoms.
US ready to allow North Korea sanctions exemption amid coronavirus fears
Kim and US President Donald Trump met three times since embarking on their high-stakes nuclear diplomacy in 2018, but negotiations have faltered since their second summit last February in Vietnam, where the Americans rejected North Korean demands for major sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of its nuclear capability.
Following the collapse in Hanoi, the North ended a 17-month pause in ballistic activity and conducted at least 13 rounds of weapons launches last year, using the standstill in talks to expand its military capabilities.
“It can be viewed as a symbolic gesture marking the one-year anniversary of the Trump-Kim Hanoi summit ending in a no-deal,” said Choi Soon-mi, who researches North Korean social and economic affairs at Ajou University’s Institute of Unification. “And they could be using this day as a platform to nudge for either Washington or Seoul to take actions for their demands, such as sanctions relief.”
Additional reporting by Bloomberg, Reuters
