ICBM Launch on 18th Followed by Short-Range Missile Launch on 20th
US-ROK Exercises Begin This Month, Raising Possibility of Further Provocations
Foreign Ministry Designates Fourth Independent Sanctions Targeting 3 North Koreans and Others
[Asia Economy Military Specialist Reporter Yang Nak-gyu, Reporter Jang Hee-jun] On the 20th, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) into the East Sea. This comes just two days after the launch of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-15 on the 18th, signaling that North Korea is intensifying its military provocations aimed at South Korea and the United States. Following the South Korea-U.S. extended deterrence measures exercise (DSC TTX) scheduled for the 22nd, a large-scale joint exercise between the two countries is also planned for next month, suggesting that further provocations are likely to continue.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff stated, "On the morning of the 20th, from around 7:00 to 7:11 a.m., North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) from the Sukchon area in South Pyongan Province toward the East Sea, which flew approximately 390 km and 340 km respectively before landing." Earlier, the Korean Central News Agency reported, "The long-range artillery unit of the Korean People's Army's western front conducted rocket artillery firing training at 7 a.m. on the 20th, firing three rockets into the East Sea at virtual targets set at ranges of 395 km and 337 km from the launch point using 600mm rockets." The super-large rocket artillery has guidance capabilities and flies on a trajectory similar to ballistic missiles, thus it falls under the category of short-range ballistic missile weapons.
Immediately after the missile launch, North Korea claimed that the short-range ballistic missiles were 600mm super-large rocket artillery, a tactical nuclear attack means, and threatened that four rocket artillery shells could completely destroy the enemy's operational airfield.
North Korea's ballistic missile launch came just two days after the launch of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Hwasong-15 on the 18th. This is the third provocation this year. North Korea again blamed South Korea and the U.S. for the cause of the show of force. Near the launch point, the Cheongju Air Base is located about 340 km away, and the Gunsan U.S. Air Force Base is about 390 km away. These are the locations from which South Korean and U.S. Air Force fighters took off for joint flights the previous day.
For this reason, the military believes that North Korea is targeting the extended deterrence measures exercise (DSC TTX) held in the U.S. at the end of this month and the large-scale South Korea-U.S. joint exercise "Freedom Shield (FS)" scheduled for next month. In fact, various expressions in North Korean state media announcements support this view. Kim Yo-jong, the deputy department head, also emphasized the so-called "strong against strong, retaliation against retaliation" once again, stating, "We will closely monitor every hostile act of the enemy and respond correspondingly and with overwhelming force to any hostility against us."
Our government has also taken a tough stance. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it would additionally designate four individuals and five organizations involved in North Korea's nuclear and missile development and sanctions evasion as targets of independent sanctions. This is the fourth independent sanction imposed by the Yoon Suk-yeol administration against North Korea.
With this sanction, South Korea has designated 31 individuals and 35 organizations as independent sanction targets since October last year. The individuals are Ri Seong-un, Kim Su-il, Lee Seok, and Vladlen Amchenchev, a South African national. Three North Koreans are involved in transporting or exporting sanctioned goods on behalf of the North Korean government, and Vladlen is involved in exporting petroleum to North Korea, contributing to North Korea's nuclear and missile development and sanctions evasion to secure funds, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The sanctioned organizations are Songwon Shipping Company, Dongheung Shipping Trading Company, Daejin Trading Corporation, Transatlantic Partners Pte. Ltd in Singapore, and Velmur Management Pte. Ltd in Singapore. They are involved in sanctions evasion activities at sea or in North Korean coal trade and petroleum exports to North Korea, contributing to North Korea's nuclear and missile development and sanctions evasion. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, "This measure is the fastest independent sanction designation ever made following a North Korean provocation."
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