“Not an Immediate Threat… Promise to Defend U.S. Mainland and Allies”
[Seoul=Newsis] Reporter Lim Chul-hwi: The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command announced on the 4th that it is aware of North Korea’s ballistic missile launch and is in close consultation with allies and partners.
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), the Indo-Pacific Command said, “We are aware of the missile launch and are in close consultation with allies and partners.” They added, “According to current assessments, this issue does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, territory, or regional allies,” and reiterated that the U.S. maintains its commitment to defending its mainland and regional allies.
According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, North Korea launched several ballistic missiles into the East Sea, staging a military show of force.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff analyzed that the North Korean missiles flew approximately 900 km, with exact specifications being closely analyzed by South Korea and the U.S.
Japan’s Ministry of Defense stated that North Korea launched at least two ballistic missiles toward the east, which appear to have already fallen outside Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
According to Kyodo News, Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters that the missiles may have flown on irregular trajectories, reaching altitudes of approximately 50 km and covering distances of 900-950 km.
This missile launch by North Korea is the first in over two months since November last year, the third since the inauguration of the Lee Jae-myung government, and the first missile provocation of this year.
Analysts suggest that North Korea’s show of force might be a calculated attempt to increase regional tensions and assert its presence ahead of a bilateral meeting between President Lee and President Xi, as President Lee is on a state visit to China for four days. The government aims to use this visit as an opportunity to fully restore South Korea-China relations.
Meanwhile, there are some speculations that North Korea’s New Year’s missile provocation might have been influenced by the recent U.S. airstrike in Venezuela and the capture of Nicolas Maduro, possibly escalating existential threats to Kim Jong-un while justifying his nuclear obsession.