[Editorial] North’s missile launches only raise tensions while justifying tougher sanctions

Posted on : 2019-05-10 15:19 KST Modified on : 2019-05-10 15:19 KST
Estimated path of North Korea‘s 2 short-range missile and projectile launches
Estimated path of North Korea‘s 2 short-range missile and projectile launches

On May 9, North Korea fired two projectiles that are presumed to be short-range missiles. This show of force came just five days after the North launched tactical guided missiles and large-caliber rounds of a multiple rocket launcher on May 4. In an interview on the second anniversary of his taking office, South Korean President Moon Jae-in warned that “North Korea repeating such behavior could make the phase of dialogue and negotiations more difficult.”

It’s very regrettable that the North is engaging in such provocative behavior just as the leaders of South Korea and the US have agreed on the need for humanitarian food aid to the North and are reviewing the timing and scale of such aid. We urge North Korea to exercise restraint.

Moon had the following to say about North Korea’s intentions: “North Korea seems to have quite a few complaints about how its second summit with the US in Hanoi concluded without an agreement. If the North has any complaints, it should take part in dialogue and voice them clearly. This is not an appropriate way for expressing such complaints.”

As Moon said, the launch of the short-range missiles appears to be an attempt to seize the initiative at an impasse in the North Korea-US denuclearization negotiations. It’s not appropriate to bring military means to bear for such an end, however. While various methods may no doubt be employed to gain the upper hand in negotiations, carrying out multiple shows of force that increase military tensions both on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia is extremely dangerous, while accomplishing nothing.

The fact that North Korea has fired short-range missiles and other projectiles rather than something more provocative to the US, such as intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), suggests that the North doesn’t intend to jeopardize the status quo. Even so, a ballistic missile launch, even of a short-range missile, can be fundamentally regarded as a violation of UN resolutions, though the UN has never taken issue with the North’s short-range missile launches before. These concerns are shared by Moon, who said that the launch “could be a violation of UN Security Council resolutions.”

By launching a short-range missile five days after launching short-range tactical guided missiles on May 4, North Korea has intensified its military pressure. That can be seen as showing that the North intends to continue increasing military tension as it gauges the reaction from South Korea and the US.

While it’s unclear how high North Korea intends to escalate tensions, this behavior is nothing if not perilous. The North needs to bear in mind that even a potentially trivial action can lead to unintended misunderstandings, conflict, and clashes in a situation such as the present in which dialogue is halted both between South and North Korea and between North Korea and the US. The North needs to seriously consider whether it wants to squander the opportunity for peace and cooperation on the Korean Peninsula that was created with such difficulty last year.

Under former leader Kim Jong-il, there were times when North Korea would abruptly make shows of force, such as launching missiles, when its denuclearization talks with the US didn’t go the way it wanted. We all know the consequences of such actions: they only aggravated the international community’s distrust of North Korea and provided a rationale for the UN toughening sanctions, and all without the North achieving its desires. We hope that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will choose a different path, one that can lead to a breakthrough, as he recalls paving the way for peace through three historic summits with Moon last year.

Moon was right to adopt a prudent attitude in his interview on the second anniversary of his presidential inauguration, sending a clear warning to North Korea while also counseling it to quickly resume talks with the US. South Korea and the US must not regard the North’s “calculated provocations” as completely sabotaging the negotiations.

Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]

button that move to original korean article (클릭시 원문으로 이동하는 버튼)