[Comprehensive Report 2] North Korea Fires 2 Ballistic Missiles... Fourth Show of Force This Year

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] North Korea launched ballistic missiles into the East Sea on the 17th.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff announced in a text message sent to the press corps at around 8:56 a.m. that day, "North Korea fired two ballistic missiles from the Pyongyang Sunan Airport area."

The range of the missiles launched that day is known to be less than 400 km. Accordingly, there is speculation about the possibility of re-launching the 'North Korean version of Iskander' fired from a train on the railway three days earlier on the 14th. However, military authorities are still analyzing the type of launch platform. The straight-line distance from Pyongyang Sunan Airport to Alseom, an uninhabited island off Musudan-ri, Kilju County, Hamgyong Province, which North Korea often sets as a target in the East Sea, is about 370 to 400 km.

North Korea's launch on this day marks the fourth show of force this year. Previously, North Korea launched ballistic missiles claimed to be 'hypersonic missiles' in the Jagang Province area on the 5th and 11th, and on the 14th, fired two short-range ballistic missiles (KN-23), known as the 'North Korean version of Iskander,' from a train on the railway in the Uiju area of North Pyongan Province.

The Biden administration in the United States responded to North Korea's 'hypersonic' launches by imposing its first sanctions on North Korea, but North Korea has continued its shows of force at three-day intervals as if to flaunt the sanctions.

North Korea experts say, "It is important to note that North Korea is proceeding with weapons development according to its plans while refraining from aggressive external messages, unlike in the past." This means that until the completion of the national strategic weapons modernization task, North Korea intends to continuously test and finalize the establishment of 'tactical nuclear delivery means' while avoiding international responses.

North Korea may also conduct additional test launches of submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) in the future. The U.S.-based North Korea specialist media 38 North analyzed satellite images and concluded that North Korea's Sinpo-class submarine was repaired and redeployed in December last year. Last year, North Korea consecutively test-fired long-range cruise missiles (September 11), train-launched ballistic missiles (September 15), and SLBMs (October 19).

Jung Sung-jang, head of the North Korea Research Center at the Sejong Institute, said, "North Korea intends to maintain a 'lineage-to-lineage' relationship with China, which is friendly to North Korea, but will respond with a 'strong against strong' stance toward the United States, which is hostile to North Korea, for the time being."

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