[Breaking] North Korea Launches Ballistic Missile... Provocation for Two Consecutive Days

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] [2North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the East Sea on the first day of the new year, the Joint Chiefs of Staff announced. The military is analyzing detailed specifications such as the missile launch location and flight distance.

On the previous day, North Korea also launched three short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) from the area around Junghwa County, Hwanghaebuk-do, into the East Sea. North Korea's two consecutive days of provocations are interpreted as a countermeasure against our military's successful test flight of a solid-fuel propelled space launch vehicle on the 30th of last month. There is also analysis that it signals the intention to maintain a tough stance externally in the new year.

It is also suggested that North Korea may have carried out the provocation to strengthen internal unity in connection with the ongoing plenary meeting until this day.

At the meeting, State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong-un emphasized "establishing a more intense and confident struggle strategy" and specified the "direction of anti-South struggle" targeting the South, foreshadowing an offensive policy toward the South.

Since the 26th of last month, North Korea has been conducting various provocations against the South, including sending five unmanned aerial vehicles south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), with one of them entering the airspace over Seoul.