US Expert: "North Korea's Short-Range Missile Launch a Milder Measure Than Expected"

US Department of Defense "No Comment" Avoids Statement
ICBM Deemed a Minor Provocation Compared to Additional Nuclear Tests

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Following the Biden administration's statement that North Korea's short-range missile launch does not violate United Nations Security Council resolutions, experts in the United States have also evaluated the response as milder than expected. From the U.S. perspective, which is concerned about provocations such as intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launches or additional nuclear tests, this is interpreted as a relatively minor provocation.

According to U.S. political media The Hill and major foreign news outlets on the 23rd (local time), Jenny Town, director of North Korea monitoring at the U.S. North Korea specialist media 38 North, described North Korea's short-range missile test as "a relatively mild measure compared to expectations." Prior to this, there was widespread speculation that North Korea would provoke following the arrest of North Korean national Moon Cheol-myung in Malaysia on charges including money laundering and his extradition to the U.S., with his appearance at a Washington D.C. court. Major foreign media reported that this missile launch was also carried out as a protest against that event.

Concerns had been high for weeks within and outside the U.S. Department of Defense that North Korea might provoke the Biden administration through ICBM tests or additional nuclear tests within weeks. However, this was judged to be a very minor missile launch provocation in comparison. According to the UN Panel of Experts on North Korea sanctions in January, North Korea violated sanctions last year as well, maintaining and developing its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, and reportedly helped raise approximately $300 million (about 340 billion KRW) through cyber hacking to fund nuclear weapons development.

The U.S. Department of Defense also refrained from commenting on the missile launch on the same day. John Kirby, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense, said at a press briefing, "There is nothing to comment on regarding North Korea's missile launch at this time," and ended the briefing without further remarks. Earlier, the Washington Post (WP) reported that North Korea fired two short-range missiles over the past weekend, drawing significant attention from U.S. media, but specific details such as missile specifications have not yet been disclosed. The North Korean ambassador to the UN and North Korean authorities have also not issued any comments on the launch.

According to CNN, senior U.S. officials stated that this short-range missile launch does not violate UN Security Council resolutions and that the door for dialogue with North Korea remains open. It is also reported that Jake Sullivan, White House National Security Advisor, plans to hold a North Korea strategy meeting next week with security chiefs from South Korea and Japan.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.