North Korea keeps up barrage of missile tests in the Pacific

Tensions remain high on the Korean Peninsula following North Korea’s launch of four Hwasal-2 cruise missiles last Friday, Feb. 24. According to the official press channel of North Korea, the vectors flew for 2.000 kilometers hitting a “pre-selected target” off the east coasts of South Korean. This is the fourth test carried out by Pyongyang over the new year, occurring just under a week after those of Feb. 20 and Feb. 18 in which the Korean People’s Army Strategic Force launched two short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) and one long-range Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile.

The launches come amid high regional tensions that have continued since 2022, when North Korea carried out some 90 ballistic missile tests largely in the direction of Japan. In response to recent tests, the US, South Korea, and Japan held joint exercises on Wednesday, Feb. 22, to develop ballistic missile defense capabilities. During the drills, the three countries’ air forces deployed South Korean and Japanese F-15 fighter jets and the US B1-B strategic bomber, which can be equipped with nuclear warheads.

In this already complex scenario, the declarations of Kim Yo-jong, sister of the north Korean Leader, that defined the military drills as “an existential threat” for Pyongyang, suggest that the launches will not end in the short run. Indeed, the North Korean regime’s intention is to carry out the testing of the intercontinental long-range missiles (ICBM) vectors fueled with solid propellent. During a military parade, Pyongyang has already showed four TEL vehicles (transporter-erector-launcher), allegedly adapt to carry, and launch these kinds of missiles. Solid propellant-already proven on short-range missiles (SRBMs) presents consistent advantages in readiness and safety. In addition, its technical characteristics decrease the chances of detection by the enemy even during advanced and prolonged deployment.

Alongside to the North Korean launches, in the following months, the joint drills between Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo, are supposed to go on, if not intensify. This purpose has been reiterated during the Security Conference in Munich, when the Foreign Affairs Ministries of South Korea, the United States and Japan met urgently on the sidelines of the conference to discuss the worsening security conditions in the region. In this regard, Seoul announced a new package of sanctions that would supposedly target private individuals and companies linked to commerce and maritime transport. Furthermore, Tokyo - that in December 2022 approved its new National Security Strategy - aims to gain the so called “counterstrike capabilities”, to create some sort of deterrence against the growing offensive attitudes of North Korea.