A citizen walks past a TV showing a file image of North Korea's missile launch during a news program at Seoul Station in Seoul, Tuesday. North Korea on Tuesday fired a projectile assumed to be a ballistic missile, marking its second weapons launch in a week. Yonhap

Continuous missile launches decrease chance of resuming talks

By Nam Hyun-woo

North Korea is stepping up its missile threats, firing what appears to be a ballistic missile just six days after it tested what it claims was a hypersonic missile.

Experts said Pyongyang is expressing its intention to follow its own "missile program itinerary" regardless of political and diplomatic factors outside the reclusive regime, including the United Nations Security Council's closed-door session on the North's Jan. 5 missile launch and the Moon Jae-in administration's push to declare a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch from an inland area toward the East Sea at 7:27 a.m. The JCS added that the South Korean and U.S. militaries were analyzing the launch. The missile, which traveled nearly 700 kilometers at more than 10 times the speed of sound, is believed to be an "advanced" version of the missile launched on Jan. 5, according to the JCS.

"It is a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions, and poses a serious threat to peace on the Korean Peninsula and the international community. Since it offers no help in easing military tensions and diplomatic efforts for peace on the peninsula, (the JCS) strongly demand the North stop its programs immediately," a JCS statement read.

President Moon expressed "concern" over the launch.

"Moon expressed his regret over the North's consecutive missile test launches before (South Korea's) presidential election and ordered related ministries and government bodies to come up with necessary measures to prevent further tensions between South and North Korea and alleviate public anxiety," presidential spokeswoman Park Kyung-mee said.

Moon's remark came after the National Security Council (NSC) expressed "strong regret" over the launch, which came "at a time when regional stability is important." After last week's launch, Moon did not make any comments and the NSC expressed "concern" in a press release. This time, however, Moon expressed concern by himself, while the NSC used stronger rhetoric.

In this photo carried by Pyongyang's Korean Central News Agency on Jan. 6, a missile is fired from a mobile launch vehicle. The state-run news agency claimed the projectile was a hypersonic missile. Yonhap

North Korea says it successfully conducted final test of hypersonic missile 2022-01-12 09:05  |  North Korea NSC expresses 'strong regret' over North Korea missile launch 2022-01-11 12:34  |  North Korea US, 5 others urge NK to end missile tests, return to dialogue: statement 2022-01-11 09:46  |  North Korea North Korea launches apparent ballistic missile toward East Sea: JCS 2022-01-11 09:14  |  North Korea Tuesday's launch came six days after the North fired a missile from Jagang Province into the sea and later claimed that it was a hypersonic missile, which traveled 700 kilometers at a speed of Mach 5. However, the South Korean military downplayed Pyongyang's claim that the missile was a hypersonic ballistic missile, believing it was a conventional one.

But experts said there is a strong chance that the projectile launched on Tuesday was indeed a hypersonic missile.

"Though we cannot rule out the possibility of other missiles, chances are high that the North has fired a hypersonic missile, given the assumed launch site and pattern," said Kim Dong-yup, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies.

"The North has described its Jan. 5 launch successful, and the South has downplayed the missile. Some may think the North is making an emotional reaction to Tuesday's launch, but the regime does not have enough resources to spare. Rather, it shows the North is following its own missile itinerary and sending a message that it will not be bothered by external factors," Kim said.

Tuesday's launch came on the heels of the U.N. Security Council's closed-door session on Pyongyang's missile test last week. Although the council did not take immediate action after the meeting, reportedly because of opposition from China and Russia, the U.S. and five other countries issued a condemnation of the North's previous launch, saying, "Continued pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs is a threat to international peace and security."

North Koreans are seen in Gaepung County, North Hwanghae Province, in this photo taken from South Korea's Odusan Unification Tower in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. Yonhap

South Korean President Moon's efforts to declare a formal end to the Korean War with North Korea, the U.S. and China are also losing momentum as the North dismisses international pressure by launching two missiles in less than a week.

The Moon administration has been refraining from calling the North Korean missile launches "a provocation" since the North demanded last year that the South recognize Pyongyang's "right to test weapons" as a precondition for talks over an end-of-war declaration.

In line with that stance, the NSC did not describe Tuesday's launch as a provocation, while a Cheong Wa Dae official said, "The government's stance remains the same that we will pursue the end-of-war declaration promptly and build trust with related countries for peace on the Korean Peninsula."

An official at Seoul's Ministry of Unification also said "the consecutive missile launches elevate the necessity of resuming talks with the North" and "the current instability ironically shows that the end-of-war declaration should be achieved promptly."

Despite efforts by the Moon administration, chances are growing slim for the President to achieve tangible progress in the end-of-war talks during his tenure, as the North increasingly disregards external pressure.

Last week, the North decided not to participate in the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympic Games, during which Seoul sought to hold high-level talks with Pyongyang regarding the end-of-war declaration. On Tuesday, the regime's propaganda website, Uriminzokkiri, slammed South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook's inspection of combat readiness on Jan. 1, marking this year's first criticism of the South Korean military.

"Tuesday's launch shows that the North has no intention of engaging the South," Kim said. "It is Pyongyang's clear message that it will stick to its own direction regardless of the end-of-war declaration and other developments in inter-Korean relations."