The North Korean authorities have once again set off all the alarms: with the launching of more than twenty ballistic missiles and the firing of a hundred artillery shots, Pyongyang has openly violated the demarcation line in the Sea of Japan on Wednesday in actions that point to a new nuclear test in the coming weeks.
The South Korean military has warned that six more missile launches have been detected both towards the East Sea and the Yellow Sea, including several surface-to-air missiles.
These launches, which are in addition to three others carried out previously and which include 17 missiles, have been carried out in only ten hours and represent a violation of the military agreement reached between the two Koreas and a violation of the maritime demarcation line in dispute in the Yellow Sea.
Four of the missiles were launched from the Jeongju and Pihyeon Gun areas in Pyongan province, in the north of the country, according to the Yonhap news agency.
Pyongyang subsequently fired three more missiles from Wonsan, which were followed by ten more surface-to-air missiles launched from Nakwon in Jeongpyeong, prompting South Korean authorities to authorize the launch of three ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan in an effort to deter North Korean forces.
Seoul has immediately condemned the escalation of tension, especially after one of these missiles fell just 60 kilometers from its coast. It has accused Pyongyang of violating military pacts and ordered the military to remain vigilant.
The military considers the latest North Korean actions as a «clear provocation, launched near South Korean territorial waters south of the maritime demarcation line», something that calls into question «stability and peace on the Korean peninsula».
That is why the Armed Forces have assured that they «will maintain a precautionary posture to respond when necessary and ensure the safety of the South Korean people against any kind of provocation while discussing cooperation with the U.S.» and other allies.
In this regard, Seoul regretted that the inter-Korean military agreement has turned out to be «useless» given that the launches by both sides have included the crossing of missiles over the established demarcation line. The pact completely suspended any hostile action between the two countries in an attempt to avoid «accidental military confrontations».
South Korean President Yoon Seok Yeol has been quick to convene an emergency meeting of the National Security Council and has called for a «forceful» response to any «significant attempt to encroach on the territory.»
For his part, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida confirmed that Japan has already lodged a note of protest with the North Korean Embassy in Beijing and stressed that Pyongyang is acting at an «unprecedented pace», which is «unacceptable».
Kim Jong Un has repeatedly insisted that the North Korean ballistic program is part of legitimate self-defense and the idea of «being ready to mobilize at full capacity» in case of external attack.
The North Korean leader continues to accuse the United States of trying to «demonize North Korea» to justify its policies and insists that the measures taken by Washington against the country are purely «illegal and hostile».
Kim maintains that the US attitude pushes North Korea, a victim of «dangerous» actions that put it in a compromising position, to a step away from war, although US authorities insist that it is a «pretext» for «new provocations», according to State Department spokesman Ned Price.
The policies promoted by Yoon, who advocates strengthening the alliance with the United States and gives a new meaning to the so-called ‘Kill Chain’, Seoul’s system designed to «raze» North Korea in a matter of minutes if necessary, have led to an increase in tension.
The plan includes an air defense system to wipe out enemy ballistic missiles, a large-scale protocol for attacking Pyongyang and a series of decisive strikes that would involve the death of the country’s top leaders, including Kim Jong Un. However, the idea lies mainly in preventing even the launch of the missiles in question from the North Korean side.
North Korea is seen by many as preparing to conduct its seventh nuclear test since holding its last one in September 2017.
