North Korea’s Missile Launch: A Response to U.S. Secretary of State’s Visit

North Korea Fires Ballistic Missiles Off Eastern Coast
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken Visits South Korea
North Korea Begins Succession Process

On the 18th, the Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that North Korea had launched short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea.

This is the first provocation in about two months since January 14, 2024. Military experts predict that North Korea’s missile provocation was a reaction to the U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises and a show of force in response to the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

North Korea has already provoked twice this year. According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the South Korean military detected North Korea launching at least three short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea starting at 7:44 this morning. The Missiles reportedly launched from the Pyongyang area and fell into the East Sea after flying about 186 miles.

Ballistic missiles are banned from launch under the UN Security Council resolution. However, North Korea continues to provoke our military by violating this.

In response, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, “Our military is strengthening surveillance and alert posture in anticipation of additional launches by North Korea,” and “We are closely sharing information about the trajectory and related information of the ballistic missiles with U.S. and Japanese authorities,” indicating that they are fully prepared.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff also stated, “North Korea’s missile launch is a serious threat to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and a clear act of provocation that we strongly condemn.” They also added, “Our military will maintain its ability and posture to respond overwhelmingly to any further provocation, maintaining a solid U.S.-South Korea combined defense posture and keeping a close eye on North Korea’s activities.”

Yang Moo Jin, the University of North Korean Studies president, predicted North Korea’s actions as “showing its presence targeting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who visited Korea for the third Democratic Summit.” He continued, “It contains a message that it will not let go of the initiative on the Korean Peninsula issue,” explaining that North Korea is uncomfortable with the recent U.S.-South Korea exercises.

He also evaluated, “It can also be interpreted as a preemptive warning against interference in North Korea’s internal affairs, such as economic and human rights issues, which are likely to be discussed at the Democratic Summit.” President Yang said, “North Korea has been refraining from missile provocations to avoid the political schedules of China and Russia,” and interpreted, “After the end of the events in China and Russia, it immediately launched missiles into the East Sea, expressing resistance and dissatisfaction with the U.S.-South Korea joint exercise ‘Freedom Shield (FS).'” He further explained, “North Korea’s provocations will not stop, and it will continue to provoke South Korea and hostile countries, such as launching reconnaissance satellites, according to the schedule set internally.”

Experts predict North Korea may escalate provocations before the general elections on April 10. They expect that there may be an intention to accumulate military tension and fatigue in the South Korean government and soften the policy toward North Korea. They also predict that there would be a will to possess the status of a “nuclear-armed state” politically in the long term.

Meanwhile, North Korea has released 29 photos of Kim Jong Un commanding the “Airborne Infantry (Airborne Troops)” in response to the U.S.-South Korea joint exercises. The point of interest here is that Kim Jong Un’s daughter, Kim Ju Ae, appears in the military training photos for the first time. Born in 2013, Kim Ju Ae is still in elementary school.

This photo release confirms that North Korea is actively working on the fourth succession. Also, North Korean media used the term “Hyang Do,” which is only used for the supreme leader, to describe Kim Ju Ae. This is interpreted as Kim Jong Un acknowledging Kim Ju Ae as his successor internally and externally.

Kim Jong Un then inspected the training of the soldiers and reminded them that preparing for war is the primary mission of the People’s Army. He also ordered the soldiers to arm themselves with an intense war ideology and a firm will to change history in case of war.

He further stated, “Even if the People’s Army conducts a single training exercise, it should be treated as if it were a real battle, and then soldiers would be prepared and grown into true fighters who can fight and win in the harsh battlefield under any circumstances,” explaining the importance of realistic military training.

Meanwhile, signs of a crisis in the North Korean regime are increasingly reported as collective actions continue from the North Korean liberal party organization to North Korean workers working in China. The government’s comments on this are also quite serious.

Unification Minister Kim Yung Ho attended a special roundtable meeting last February to celebrate the New Year with the heads of the four national research institutes in unification, diplomacy, and security. Regarding North Korea’s attitude of discarding the concept of nation and unification and turning the inter-Korean relationship into a “hostile state relationship” at the beginning of 2024, he said, “North Korea’s recent rapid policy change could cause confusion and turmoil within North Korea,” and “The government should pay attention to this part.” He also emphasized, “The rapid change in North Korea’s situation can be a crisis and an opportunity,” and “The Korean government will be well prepared to make 2024 a year of new opportunities in inter-Korean relations and unification of the Korean Peninsula.”