North Korea's 700km missile launch serves as warning before US-South Korea drills
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North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile more than 700km from Wonsan on Wednesday, days before US-South Korea annual Ulchi Freedom Shield drills, is being read by analysts as a warning. Seoul convened an emergency meeting and urged Pyongyang to halt violations of UN Security Council resolutions, while Japan confirmed the missile fell outside its exclusive economic zone. The launch, the second in six days, unfolded against a backdrop of deepening military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow.
Missile Trajectory
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile was launched from the Wonsan area in Kangwon Province at about 6am local time (21:00 GMT) on Wednesday. It flew more than 700km (435 miles) before landing in waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. Japanese authorities reported the missile had fallen outside Japan's exclusive economic zone.
Seoul and Tokyo Response
South Korea's Office of National Security convened an emergency meeting and urged Pyongyang to halt provocations that violate UN Security Council resolutions. The launch came six days after another ballistic missile from the same area, which Seoul, Washington and Tokyo said they detected on August 6. Pyongyang did not confirm that earlier launch either.
Analyst Interpretation
Lim Eul-chul, a North Korea expert at Kyungnam University, told AFP that Pyongyang has 'never simply let' a South Korea-US joint military exercise pass without a response, citing the second reported test in less than a week. He added the latest launch can be seen as a message that North Korea is closely watching the upcoming drills and could take further action if necessary. The launch came amid tensions over Pyongyang's growing military ties with Russia and concerns about its expanding weapons program.
What's Next
The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises are set to begin within days, with no announcement from Seoul or Washington that the launch will alter their schedule. It remains unclear whether Pyongyang will conduct additional launches or how Seoul and Washington will calibrate their response given North Korea's deepening military ties with Moscow.
3 sources
North Korea's 700km missile launch serves as warning before US-South Korea drills
