North Korea conducts missile tests ahead of Korean war anniversary celebrations attended by high-level Chinese delegation

Late on Monday, Pyongyang conducted two missile tests just before the start of the annual celebrations commemorating the end of the Korean War. Notably, a high-level Chinese delegation, the first foreign delegation to visit North Korea since the closure of borders in 2020 due to COVID, is attending the event.

South Korea's Defense Ministry described the projectiles as ballistic missiles that flew a distance of 400 kilometers before landing in the sea, according to reports from South Korean news agency Yonhap and Japanese agency Kyodo.

Yonhap quoted the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff saying, "Our military detected two ballistic missiles fired by North Korea from areas near Pyongyang towards the East Sea at 11:55 p.m. on the 24th (of July) and around 12:30 a.m. on the 25th."

The White House condemned the launch, with spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre stating, "We certainly condemn the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's ballistic missile launches," referring to North Korea by its official name.

Jean-Pierre added that these missile tests "pose a threat to the neighbors of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the international community," emphasizing that their commitment to defending South Korea and Japan remains steadfast.

The missile launches are part of a series of weapon tests conducted by Pyongyang in recent weeks, while Seoul and Washington have strengthened their defense cooperation in response to North Korea's threats.

North Korea routinely conducts weapon tests, and these recent missile launches follow days after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un personally supervised the launch of the domestically-produced, solid-fueled, intercontinental ballistic missile Hwasong-18.

In what is likely to be seen as further provocation by North Korea, the nuclear-powered US submarine USS Annapolis recently arrived at a South Korean naval base shortly before the missile launches, according to Yonhap.

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yool visited a Type-Ohio submarine last Wednesday at the southern port of Busan.

Inter-Korean relations have hit their lowest point with diplomatic communication severed between Pyongyang and Seoul following Kim's call to accelerate the country's arms program, including tactical nuclear weapons development.

The missile launches on Monday come just before North Korea's celebration of the 70th anniversary of the end of the Korean War.

As part of the first public visit by a foreign delegation since the COVID-19 pandemic, a Chinese delegation is headed to the North, according to North Korean state news agency KCNA.

North Korea imposed strict border closures in early 2020 to prevent COVID-19 spread, and it only resumed some trade activities with China last year.

The Korean War ended with an armistice signed on July 27, 1953, not a peace treaty, meaning the two Koreas are technically still at war.

Tensions have recently escalated on the Korean Peninsula following the disappearance of US soldier Travis King, who was part of a group touring the Demilitarized Zone last week when he crossed the border into North Korea.

On Monday, the United Nations Command responsible for the armistice announced that it had initiated talks with Pyongyang concerning the missing US soldier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFP