North Korea launched a ballistic missile towards the Sea of Japan, just four days before the South Korean presidential election on 9 March. This was reported by the Joint Staff Command of Seoul, according to which the test took place from the Sunan area, in Pyongyang, at 8:48 local time (00:48 in Italy), while the carrier covered a range of about 270 km touching a maximum altitude of 560 km.
The ninth intemperance since the beginning of the year
The latest intemperance is the ninth show of force flaunted by the North in 2022, matured less than a week after the test presented as a “reconnaissance satellite” development, but which the South has simply classified as a ballistic missile launch. Recent activities “by the North represent a significant threat not only to the international community, but also to peace and stability on the Korean peninsula,” the command said in a statement. “We strongly urge the North to stop immediately”, adding that for the details on the missile, the intelligence authorities of South Korea and the United States “are conducting a detailed analysis”.
Seoul: demonstrations that go against peace in the peninsula
The Seoul National Security Council expressed its opposition to Pyongyang’s “unprecedented repeated launch of ballistic missiles”, which goes against peace on the Korean peninsula and in the international community, the Presidential Office clarified in a statement, according to which the military will continue to “monitor even more closely the nuclear and missile facilities of North Korea, such as Yongbyon and Punggye-ri”.
The condemnation of Japan
Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi also condemned the move by the hermit state, reiterating that the launch violated UN Security Council resolutions decided against Pyongyang over the years. The test signaled that, regardless of the South Korean elections set for Wednesday, Pyongyang is moving forward with its defense plans unveiled at the 8th Workers’ Party Congress in January 2021, including one hypersonic, another nuclear warhead. “High-level” is an ICBM that uses a “solid fuel engine”.
Pyongynang’s strategy
Some observers said the North could strengthen its military posture, while US attention is focused on the armed conflict in Russia, invaded by Russia. Concerns also remain that Pyongyang may continue to engage in more provocative acts as it threatened to lift its year-long self-imposed moratorium on nuclear tests and ICBMs in January. Since early 2022, Pyongynang has launched several missiles, including an intermediate-range ballistic one, using various platforms, such as a road and rail mobile launcher. The showdown is also part of Pyongyang’s strategies to strengthen internal solidarity when nuclear negotiations with Washington are stalled and economic problems continue to worsen also due to the Covid-19 pandemic.