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This year, North Korea increased its military capabilities, launching more missile tests. On the 28th February and 5th March, the region state confirmed the test-firing of two missiles. However, the greatest achievement is the firing of a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Hwasong – 17. It is the first ICBM launch since 2017.
The North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said that the socialist state was “fully ready for long-standing confrontation with the U.S. imperialists”. Kim Jong-un warned that any forces infringing upon the security of his country should be aware that it will have to pay a “dear price.”
South Korea’s military detected that the missile flew 1,080 kilometers at an apogee of over 6,200 km.
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After the launch President Moon Jae-in (Republic of Korea) and the White House condemned North Korea for ICBM test-firings. Mr. Moon called for an emergency meeting of the National Security Council to take measures to combat rising tensions on the Korean peninsula. American side also called on Pyongyang “to cease its destabilizing actions”. Both countries called for the Security Council’s meeting to take urgent steps preventing the escalation of the tensions in the North – East Asia region.
Without the UN decisions, the United States has taken harried action by imposing five new sanctions on entities based in Russia, China and North Korea related to the development of missile program. According to the US Department of State on 24th March, the US “announced sanctions on five entities and individuals located in Russia and the DPRK and one entity in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for proliferation activities under the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act (INKSNA).The American side blamed Russia for Democratic People’s Republic Korea’s (DPRK) test-firings, saying: “These measures are a part of our ongoing efforts to impede the DPRK’s ability to advance its missile program and they highlight the negative role Russia plays on the world stage as a proliferator to programs of concern”.
As it seems, North Korea has determined to increase its military capacity amid Ukraine crisis. The country repeatedly claimed about the U.S. hostile policy against it. Current situation shadows the light on the need to strengthen country’s defense system. The only right measures to oppose it was the building up its nuclear capabilities. The press release at KCNA site: the DPRK will “continue bolstering the capabilities for self-defense and preemptive attack with the nuclear force as the pivot as long as the U.S. and its vassal forces persist in nuclear threat and blackmail and war drills under the mask of annual ones at the doorstep… The DPRK, an undeniable new strategic state and nuclear power of Juche, declares: Do not expect any change in its policy. Its entity as an invincible power can neither be undermined nor be stamped out”.
The Russian side as well responded to the launches saying that the Russian military is monitoring the situation with the missile launch of North Korea. The press secretary of the Russian president Dmitry Peskov added that it was important to avoid actions that could increase tensions in another region of the world.
North Korea was one of the countries defending Russia’s military operation in Ukraine. The state accused Washington of being the “cause of the Ukrainian crisis”. According to Korean comments, Washington sought “military superiority, ignoring Russia’s legitimate demands for its security.”
In this case, North Koreans also accused the United States of “double standards”, saying that they interfere in the internal affairs of other countries in order to bring “peace and stability” but now “the days of the unchallenged rule by the United States are over”.
