North Korea Fires Ballistic Missiles Into Sea As South’s Leader Visits China
SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korea launched ballistic missiles on Sunday, the day the rival South Korean leader began a state visit to Pyongyang’s chief ally China and just hours after the United States attacked Venezuela.
The firing of at least two missiles in the country for the first time in two months further increased global tensions after US President Donald Trump launched the attack in Venezuela that captured President Nicolas Maduro.
North Korea strongly condemned the US action, saying Washington had “wildly violated Venezuela’s sovereignty” and that the action showed the “rogue and brutal nature of the US”.
The North launched its missiles hours before South Korean President Lee Jae Myung began his state visit to China on Sunday, hoping to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula during a summit with his counterpart Xi Jinping.
Lim Eul-chul, a professor at the Institute of Far Eastern Studies in Seoul, said the launches from the capital Pyongyang into the sea between Korea and Japan represented “a message to China to deter closer ties with South Korea and counter China’s stance on denuclearization.”
North Korea Signaled ‘We Are Different from Venezuela’
Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images
He said North Korea also wants to send the message that “we are different from Venezuela” as a nuclear and military power, ready to respond with “offensive deterrence.”
Referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Bong Youngshik, an adjunct professor at Yonsei University, said: “After seeing what is happening in Venezuela right now, the person who will be most afraid will be Kim Jong Un.”
Seoul and Tokyo criticized the North’s missile launches.
South Korea’s presidential office announced it was holding an emergency security meeting and called on North Korea to stop “provocative actions that violate United Nations Security Council resolutions.”
Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said that the launches threaten the peace and security of the region and the international community.
“Our government lodged a strong protest against North Korea and strongly condemned it,” Koizumi said in a statement.
“This incident does not pose an immediate threat to US personnel, territory, or our allies,” US forces in the Indo-Pacific said in a statement, adding that the US was consulting closely with its allies and partners.
Kim Jong Un Flexes His Military Muscles Ahead of Party Congress
Korea News Service via Korean Central News Agency/Associated Press
South Korea’s military said the missiles, launched around 7.50am (2250 GMT on Saturday), flew about 900 km (560 miles). Japan said at least two missiles were found flying about 900 km and 950 km.
Pyongyang last tested a ballistic missile on November 7.
Kim Jong Un called for more than doubling the production capacity of tactical guided weapons during a visit to an munitions factory on Saturday, North Korean state media reported.
In recent weeks, Kim has made a series of visits to weapons factories as well as a nuclear-powered submarine and oversaw missile tests ahead of this year’s Ninth Party Congress of the Workers’ Party, which will determine key policy goals.
Lee’s security adviser, Wi Sung-lac, said without going into details of the summit agenda that South Korea expects Beijing to play a role in promoting peace on the Korean peninsula.
Experts say Lee’s agenda with Xi includes persuading China to facilitate dialogue with North Korea, at a time when North Korea has rejected the call of Lee, who took office seven months ago.
