Photo/Illutration In this photo distributed by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency on Feb. 19, a Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile is launched in military training held at the Pyongyang International Airport on Feb. 18. (Provided by Korea News Service)

North Korea appears to be intent on continuing its reckless and outrageous act of firing missiles, which only causes instability in the region and suffering to its people.

If it has a case to make, Pyongyang should engage in sincere dialogue with the rest of the world.

North Korea fired three ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan in two tests on Feb. 18 and 20. The one launched in the afternoon of Feb. 18 was a Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile, according to North Korean media.

North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said the ICBM “accurately hit a target area in the waters” between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. The missile is believed to have landed in waters inside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.

An object that was burning out while falling from the sky was spotted from Japan. While there has been no report of damage caused by the missile, the launch threatened the safety of civilian ships and aircraft and generated anxiety among the people in Japan.

It is a totally unacceptable act.

It was the secluded country’s first launch of a ballistic missile since Jan. 1. Before the latest round of missile firings, Pyongyang issued a statement saying it had refrained from military operations for about a month and a half.

It accused the United States and South Korea, which plan a series of military drills in March, of destroying the peace.

This accusation is an egregious practice of deflecting responsibility. North Korea’s restraint from military action apparently reflects a serious food shortage in the country. 

Even though trade with China has resumed after a prolonged disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, North Korea seems to be struggling to secure a sufficient amount of food to feed its population. Pyongyang’s latest military provocation will achieve nothing but make things even more difficult for its people.

North Korea also expressed strong anger against the U.N. Security Council, which convened an emergency meeting on the country’s nuclear and missile programs in the wake of the missile tests. Pyongyang contended that the council is following Washington’s dictate.

But North Korea has been totally supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to ensure that Moscow will veto any new Security Council resolution to impose sanctions on North Korea as part of its efforts to counter pressure from Japan, the United States and South Korea.

Pyongyang repeatedly and blatantly violated Security Council resolutions last year by test-firing some 70 ballistic missiles. The country’s accusation against Security Council responses to its reckless provocations cannot be convincing by any measure.

In response to the ICBM launch, Japan, the United States and South Korea held an emergency meeting of their foreign ministers. There is no need to stress the crucial importance of cooperation among the three countries in responding to the security threat posed by North Korea.

Japan’s Defense Ministry and the Japan Coast Guard differed on the number of missiles fired on Feb. 20. This discrepancy has raised concerns about detection, assessment and communication of sensitive security information within the Japanese government.

It is vital to accelerate the work to establish a system to ensure the immediate sharing of information about North Korean missiles that the leaders of the three countries agreed to in a trilateral summit held in November.

What is worrisome is that Tokyo, Washington and Seoul appear to be focusing on ways to enhance deterrence and showing no signs of working to resume talks with the North.

To extract change from North Korea, it is vital to win the cooperation of China, which has a degree of influence over the regime in Pyongyang.

Japan, the United States and South Korea all have some sticky issues with China. But they nevertheless should make serious joint diplomatic efforts to defuse tensions with China and bring North Korea back to the negotiating table.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 21

Related News