[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] Surprise Ballistic Missile Launch... What Is the Intention?

First Launch During Leader's Overseas Stay
One Missile Estimated to Have an Irregular Trajectory Flight

North Korea launched two ballistic missiles in a surprise attack ahead of a summit with Russia. This marks 14 days since North Korea last fired two short-range ballistic missiles on the 30th of last month.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Joint Chiefs of Staff announced on the 13th, "Our military detected two short-range ballistic missiles launched by North Korea from the Sunan area toward the East Sea between approximately 11:43 a.m. and 11:53 a.m."

This missile provocation occurred about an hour before Chairman Kim Jong-un, who is visiting Russia, began a summit with President Vladimir Putin at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Amur Oblast around 1 p.m. Our military reports that the two North Korean ballistic missiles each flew about 650 km before landing in the East Sea.

On the same day, the Japanese government announced that the two ballistic missiles launched by North Korea appeared to have fallen outside Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). In particular, the second missile is estimated to have flown approximately 650 km with a maximum altitude of 50 km and is suspected to have flown on an irregular trajectory.

North Korea's launch of ballistic missiles while its supreme leader is abroad is interpreted as an attempt to demonstrate military readiness.

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