North Korea Missile Launch... What Is the Intention?

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] North Korea launched two short-range cruise missiles into the West Sea on the 21st, which is being evaluated as a low-intensity show of force as well as a test launch.

This missile launch by North Korea is the first in about 11 months since April 14 last year and the first since the inauguration of the U.S. Biden administration. United Nations Security Council resolutions prohibit only ballistic missile launches, so cruise missile launches are not violations. There is analysis that this may be a low-intensity show of force to gauge the reactions of South Korea and the United States.

In particular, the statements by Kim Yo-jong, Deputy Director of the Workers' Party (on the 16th), and Choe Son-hui, First Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs (on the 18th), the conclusion of the South Korea-U.S. joint command post exercise in the first half of the year (on the 18th), and the South Korea-U.S. foreign and defense ministers (2+2) meeting suggest an analysis that North Korea intends to send some kind of message to South Korea and the U.S.

The Washington Post (WP) also evaluated this test launch as the first direct challenge by North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un to U.S. President Biden. When asked about North Korea's missile test during a meeting with reporters on the 23rd (local time), President Biden said, "I realized that not much has changed."

The U.S. stated that the Biden administration's review of North Korea policy is in its final stages and plans to hold a security chiefs meeting among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan at the end of next week.

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