North Korea on Friday continued a provocative series of weapons tests by firing a cruise missile into the sea, as leader Kim Jong Un called on his troops to step up war preparations and visited shipyards.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the US and South Korean military are analyzing North Korea’s launch into its western sea.
It said the South Korean military detected several missiles but it did not immediately provide a specific number or an assessment of their flight.
The launch, which is North Korea’s fourth round of cruise missile tests in 2024, came hours after state media reported that Kim reiterated his focus on strengthening his naval forces as he inspected an unspecified naval project at a shipyard in Nampho on the west coast.
Kim in recent months has emphasized efforts to build a nuclear-armed navy to counter what he describes as a growing external threat posed by the United States, South Korea and Japan, which have stepped up their military cooperation in response to their nuclear weapons programs. and Kim’s missiles. .
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, visits a shipyard in Nampho, North Korea in this undated photo. AP
North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency did not say when Kim visited Nampho. It described Kim as saying that the strengthening of the navy “shows itself to be the most important issue in defending the country’s maritime sovereignty and increasing war preparations.”
KCNA did not say what type of warship was being built at Nampho, but said it was related to a five-year military development plan set during the ruling party’s congress in early 2021.
During the meeting, Kim revealed an extensive wish list for advanced military assets, including nuclear-powered submarines and underwater-launched nuclear missiles.
A TV screen shows a file image of a North Korean missile launch during a news program at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, on February 2, 2024. AP
During the inspection, Kim was briefed on the progress of his naval project and remaining technological challenges and ordered workers to “unconditionally” complete the effort within the plan’s timeframe that runs to 2025, KCNA said.
Kim Inae, a spokeswoman for South Korea’s Unification Ministry, said it was the first time the ministry was aware that state media had reported Kim Jong Un conducting military inspections in Nampho.
That could suggest an expansion of naval projects from the country’s eastern Sinpo shipyard, which has been the North’s base for submarine construction.
Kim did not give a specific answer when asked if Seoul believed North Korea was using the Nampho for its nuclear-powered submarine efforts.
Kim Jong Un also called for naval strength on Sunday while inspecting a test of a new nuclear-capable cruise missile, the Pulhwasal-3-31, designed to be fired from submarines. AP
“By making military threats routine, North Korea is trying to create insecurity among South Koreans to undermine trust in their government and attract international attention to create an atmosphere where its demands must be accepted to resolve the crisis over Korea. Peninsula,” he said.
South Korea’s military said its special operations forces completed 10 days of training with US Green Berets on Friday in a region near the country’s capital, Seoul, in the allies’ latest joint military exercise.
The countries have in the past month held larger exercises, including a trilateral exercise involving Japan.
Kim Jong Un also called for naval strength on Sunday while inspecting a test of a new nuclear-capable cruise missile, the Pulhwasal-3-31, designed to be fired from submarines.
The North also last month tested a long-range cruise missile, which it described as nuclear-capable and capable of a range of up to 1,240 miles, potentially putting US military bases in Japan within range.
During the inspection, Kim was briefed on the progress of his naval projects and remaining technological challenges and ordered workers to “unconditionally” complete the effort within the timeframe of the plan, which runs to 2025. AP
Although North Korea has shown rapid progress in developing a line of land-based nuclear-capable missiles, experts say Kim’s naval ambitions may require more time, resources and technological breakthroughs.
Most aging diesel-powered submarines can launch only torpedoes and mines, and experts say Kim’s nuclear-powered submarine efforts are largely impossible without significant outside help.
North Korean military scientists and engineers in recent months have made progress on Kim’s list of 2021 goals, testing for the first time last year a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile, called the Hwasong-18, which adds to North Korea’s arsenal aimed at the mainland USA.
South Korean army soldiers move past their K-9 self-propelled howitzer during a military exercise in Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, on February 2, 2024. AP
The North on January 14 also tested a new solid-fuel intermediate-range missile, underscoring its efforts to advance its arsenal that can target US assets in the Pacific, including the Guam military hub.
The North also plans to launch three more military spy satellites in 2024 after sending its first into orbit in November, as Kim has described space-based surveillance as vital to monitoring US and South Korean military activities and increasing the threat of its nuclear capabilities. missile.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are at their highest level in years, after Kim accelerated his weapons development to unprecedented levels while issuing provocative nuclear threats against the United States, South Korea and Japan.
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The United States and its Asian allies in response have strengthened their coalition military exercises and updated their deterrence strategies.
There are fears that Kim, driven by the steady progress of his nuclear arsenal and growing ties with Russia, will step up the pressure on his rivals in an election year in the United States and South Korea.
Experts say Kim’s long-term goal is to force the United States to accept the idea of the North as a nuclear power and negotiate security concessions and sanctions relief from a strong position.
While most analysts downplay Kim’s war threats, some say there is a chance he could try a direct military provocation that he might be able to control without letting it escalate into a major conflict.
One potential flashpoint is the disputed western sea border between the Koreas, which has been the site of several bloody naval battles in the past few years.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
