North Korea Fires Missiles Following US Submarine Arrival in South Korea 2023
Short-range ballistic missile tests coincided with the arrival of a US nuclear-powered submarine at Jeju Island in South Korea.
Hours after a nuclear-powered US submarine docked at a South Korean naval facility, Reports from Seoul and Tokyo indicate that North Korea has fired two ballistic missiles into the ocean on its eastern coast.
The missiles were launched by North Korea on Monday night from around 11:55 p.m. (14:55 GMT) to midnight (15:00 GMT), marking the country’s third round of launches since last week, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea.
The missiles travelled approximately 400km (248 miles) before landing in the sea near the eastern coast of the Korean Peninsula.
The military of South Korea described North Korea’s missile launches as a “grave provocation” that endangers the peace and stability of the area.
The launch of what the Japanese defence ministry suspected was a ballistic missile by North Korea was also reported. According to a Japanese government source, there may have been more than one missile launched, according to Japanese media.
According to authorities, the missile is thought to have landed outside Japan’s EEZ, according to the Japanese public broadcaster NHK. The coastguard of Japan warned ships to be cautious of falling debris in the impacted areas.
The launches took hours after the South Korean military reported that the USS Annapolis, a nuclear-powered US submarine, had docked at a port on Jeju Island.
The Annapolis, fueled by a nuclear reactor but armed with conventional weaponry, is primarily responsible for eliminating enemy ships and submarines. The submarine primarily anchored in Jeju to carry cargo, but Jang Do Young, a spokesman for the South Korean military, said the US and South Korean forces were debating whether to schedule training exercises involving the vessel.
Following the USS Kentucky, the Annapolis was the first nuclear-armed US submarine to visit South Korea since the 1980s.
When Kentucky arrived, North Korea responded fiercely and warned that such deployments would qualify as justification for using nuclear weapons. Additionally, it conducted ballistic and cruise missile tests in what seemed to be a display of its nuclear strike capability against South Korea and US naval warships.
Also on Monday, the US-led United Nations Command declared it had begun “a conversation” with North Korea over an American soldier who crossed one of the most tightly guarded frontiers in the world into North Korea last week.
The deputy commander of the UN Command, a British lieutenant general named Andrew Harrison, would not comment on the status of the investigation into North Korea or what the command knows about Private Travis King’s condition. The responsibility for executing the ceasefire agreement that brought an end to the hostilities of the Korean War in 1953 rests with the UN Command.
At a news conference in Seoul, Harrison declared, “I am an optimist in life, and I stay positive.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller in Washington, DC, stated that North Korea had “acknowledged” receiving the UN message last week and had not subsequently supplied any more information or comments.
Since last week, there have been no additional communications, according to Miller, who noted that North Korea has not replied to messages delivered by civil or military US authorities.
King, who crossed the border while touring Panmunjom while he was meant to be travelling to Fort Bliss, Texas, after being released from a South Korean prison for an assault conviction, has received no public response from North Korea.
A senior administration official said that King’s status is still unknown to the US on Monday in Washington, DC. The person said they still had “no indication about what was going on in his mind that day” when asked whether US officials had a clearer idea of whether King intended to defect. The person in question spoke anonymously as they were not authorized to make public statements.
King’s passage occurred during intense tension on the Korean Peninsula, where the speed of North Korea’s weapon displays and the joint military drills of the US and South Korea have accelerated in a tit-for-tat cycle.
Since the beginning of 2022, Pyongyang has fired more than 100 missiles, and earlier in July, The latest intercontinental ballistic missile, Hwasong-18, was launched under the personal supervision of Kim Jong Un, the country’s leader.
While this is happening, the US and South Korea have escalated regional deployments of US ships and aircraft, including bombers, aircraft carriers, and submarines.
The Koreas are technically still at war due to their failure to sign a peace agreement after the Korean War lasted from 1950 to 1953.
On July 24, 2023, North Korea made international headlines by launching a series of ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan. This provocative act occurred just hours after the US deployed one of its nuclear-powered submarines to a naval base in South Korea. The deployment, an extension of the long-standing alliance between the US and South Korea, was interpreted by North Korea as a menacing act, prompting a reactionary display of military prowess.
The USS Connecticut, an advanced Seawolf-class submarine, arrived in Busan, South Korea, on July 23, 2023. The Seawolf-class submarines are among the most advanced in the US fleet, known for their stealth, speed, and significant offensive capabilities. The USS Connecticut’s arrival came amid escalated tensions in the region. North Korea had recently conducted several short-range missile tests, interpreted by many as a military muscle flexing.
After the US submarine arrived, North Korea responded by launching several short-range ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan. Reports from the Japanese government and the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff indicate that the missiles covered a distance of around 450 kilometresa. They reached an altitude of 100 kilometres before ultimately landing in the sea. This demonstration is North Korea’s most significant provocation since it resumed missile testing in 2023.
Many believe North Korea’s recent actions result from feeling threatened by the presence of a US submarine in South Korea. The isolated nation’s leaders have long considered such deployments a challenge to their sovereignty and a potential precursor to military action. North Korean state media justified the missile launches as a necessary act of self-defence while emphasizing the country’s readiness for dialogue and confrontation.
The international response was swift and unanimous in condemning the missile tests. The launches were deemed a “clear violation” of United Nations Security Council resolutions, as stated in their official statement. The US and South Korean governments restated their dedication to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and ensuring regional peace and stability. China and Russia, both traditional allies of North Korea, urged restraint on all sides and called for a return to diplomatic solutions.
The latest series of events underscores the fragile situation on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea’s missile launches, prompted by the arrival of a US submarine in South Korea, represent a clear escalation of tensions. The need for diplomatic solutions is evident as the international community grapples with this resurgence of hostility. Nevertheless, given the region’s history and the geopolitical context’s complexity, achieving such a resolution remains a considerable challenge.
The global community, especially the stakeholders involved in the Korean Peninsula, will need to navigate this intricate situation with caution and patience. All parties must engage in delicate balancing acts, pushing for denuclearization and peace while ensuring their national security interests are not compromised. This incident again illuminates the imperative for sustained, multilateral diplomacy, even in the face of escalating tensions.
