Two suspected ballistic missiles were fired into the sea by North Korea on Thursday, South Korea’s military reported. This is North Korea’s sixth round of weapons launches this month.
According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, the weapons, likely short-range, were launched from an eastern coastal area, though they did not immediately share how far they flew.
As long-term nuclear talks continue in the United States, North Korea has stepped up its nuclear testing activity in an apparent effort to exert pressure on the Biden administration. Adding further pressure to North Korea, which has already been hit hard by crippling US-led sanctions relating to its nuclear weapons program in addition to years of mismanagement on the part of its own government, the pandemic further rattles its economy.
Analysts speculate that North Korea might dramatically escalate weapons displays after the Winter Olympics, which will begin on February 4 in China, the North’s biggest ally. They say that Pyongyang’s leadership likely feel it could use a dramatic provocation to move the needle with the Biden administration, which has been preoccupied with bigger opponents, including China and Russia.
