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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un oversees the test launch of projectiles from the area of Wonsan on Mar. 2. (KCNA/Yonhap News)

On Mar. 2, North Korea fired two projectiles, presumed to be short-range missiles, from the area of Wonsan. The North’s last missile launch was 95 days ago, on Nov. 28, making this the first such launch this year. Missiles launches are a dangerous provocation that heighten military tensions and destabilize the Korean Peninsula. It’s particularly regrettable that Pyongyang would exploit the chaos in South Korea caused by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus to carry out this kind of show of force. We urge the North to exercise restraint.

According to an announcement by South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, the projectiles were launched during the day on Monday from the vicinity of Wonsan toward the northeast, traveling for 240km and reaching an altitude of 35km. The projectiles are presumed to be either rounds of the North’s new multiple rocket launcher or tactical surface-to-surface missiles; the North has periodically launched both of these since the rupture of dialogue in its summit with the US in Hanoi at the end of February 2019. While the US and the international community don’t take such short-range missiles too seriously, they’re still a violation of the UN Security Council resolution prohibiting the North from launching any kind of ballistic missiles. During an emergency meeting of the heads of relevant ministries and agencies, the Blue House strongly urged Pyongyang to refrain from provocations, which it said “don’t help efforts to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula.”

North Korea test launches projectiles from the Wonsan area on Mar. 2. . (KCNA/Yonhap News)

The launch is even more problematic since it occurs at a grave time when all countries in Northeast Asia are focusing their efforts on stopping the outbreak of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. South Korean President Moon Jae-in had already proposed inter-Korean “cooperation in the area of public health” and “a joint response to the spread of this infectious disease” in his commemorative address for the March 1 Movement. North Korea pulling off this sort of provocation just one day after Moon’s proposal is likely to further complicate inter-Korean relations, which are already in enough trouble.

It’s also regrettable that these missiles were launched after the South Korean and US militaries postponed joint exercises scheduled for the beginning of the month, a postponement that some think represents an effective cancellation. Postponing the exercises was primarily aimed at preventing COVID-19 from spreading within the military, but to some extent, it also accommodates North Korea’s demand for the exercises to be halted.

During the plenary session of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) at the end of 2019, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un threatened that the world would witness new strategic weaponry. It’s notable that, despite those remarks, this provocation only involved short-range missiles, a far cry from strategic weapons. North Korea seems more intent on pushing the US to make a bold decision than on sabotaging the two countries’ framework for dialogue. While North Korea deserves to be criticized for its missile launch, we also hope that the Trump administration will come up with a practical offer negotiating with the North instead of striving to maintain the status quo because of the presidential election coming up at the end of the year.

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