DPRK launches projectiles in response to ROK-US military exercises

Source
China Military Online
Editor
Huang Panyue
Time
2019-08-21 17:01:11

By Du Chaoping

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) launched another projectile on August 16, the 6th time within three weeks. Such a high density of launches was in protest to the insistence of the US and Republic of Korea (ROK) on holding the joint military exercises despite DPRK’s warning.

It seems the Korean Peninsula situation is going twisted again, and although DPRK and the US still have interactions, re-starting the consultation doesn’t seem likely against a backdrop of confrontation.

Test launches vs joint exercises

The US and ROK kicked off their joint military exercises in the second half of 2019 on August 5, during which the crisis management training during August 5 to 8 was a prelude and the 10-day official exercise began on August 11. The exercise was originally code-named “19-2 Alliance”, but the name was later given up to avoid further irritating DPRK, which, however, didn’t recognize the gesture but strongly condemned the exercise from the very beginning.

Pyongyang claimed that the antagonistic military activities of the US and ROK have reached a dangerous point and exposed thoroughly their ‘invasive nature’”.

And soon after, it seriously pointed out that Seoul was making a serious mistake if it thought that the exercise’s invasive nature would change or that Pyongyang would turn a blind eye to the exercise as long as it gave up the “Alliance” code-name.

After the launches on August 6 and 10, DPRK made another undisclosed projectile on the 16th. News came from the Joint Chiefs of Staff of Republic of Korea(ROK JCS) saying that at around 8 am on August 16 local time, DPRK launched two projectiles from Thongchon of Gangwon-do, which flew to the eastern sea areas of the peninsula and fell into open waters off the eastern coast. The projectiles flew about 230km at the altitude of 30km, primarily conjectured to be short-range missiles given the launching location and direction.

ROK’s Blue House convened an emergency meeting of the national security committee on the same day to discuss the situation, while the military kept a close eye on Pyongyang’s movements and stayed on high alert.

It was the 6th launch by DPRK within three weeks and the 3rd one since the US and ROK kicked off their joint exercises on August 5. The White House said it noticed reports on Pyongyang’s launches and was paying close attention to the situation along with its ROK and Japanese allies. Japan, however, said it hadn’t detected any ballistic missile approaching its territory or exclusive economic zone.

DPRK-US consultation unlikely amid South-North tension

The ROK-US military exercises led to the DPRK’s constant test launches, who specifically urged that the ROK should “completely stop such military exercises or present convincing explanations”, otherwise, there would be no dialogue between the South and the North.

But the DPRK and the US maintained interactions amid the South-North tension. Pyongyang warned Washington about the military exercise before but recently it turned to aim at Seoul without mentioning Washington at all.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said lately he expected to restart the consultation with DPRK within the coming weeks, and US president Donald Trump, upon receiving another letter from DPRK’s top leader Kim Jong-un, said he “didn’t like military exercise either” and the two of them “will meet again”.

Analysts said Trump hoped to restart the negotiation with DPRK after the military exercise and sign an agreement with Pyongyang before the 2020 presidential election. However, the ROK-US joint exercises and DPRK’s continuous test launches have complicated the peninsula situation and halted any contact between Pyongyang and Seoul, making it extremely difficult to restart the DPRK-US consultation.

 

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