Keep on Launching

North Korea does not stop launching missiles and rockets to Japan Sea. It consumed over one hundred rockets with multiple launch system on Monday. Although it has been said that each launch had some kinds of message, one cannot help be worried about that extravagance in military expenditure. Among concerted accusation against violation of the resolution United Nations has passed, Japan goes alone with softer attitude to the North, with which it is on a way to make a deal on abductees issue.

Consecutive demonstration of the North is obviously signs of its frustration on security situation in Northeast Asia. It launched three rockets on June 26^th, two short-range missiles on June 29^th, and two rockets on July 2^nd. All of them were regarded as protests against China-South Korea summit meeting in Seoul on July 3^rd. It was highly unusual for Chinese top leader to skip North Korea in visiting Korean Peninsula. Although China’s aim had been performing close relationship with South Korea against Japan, the North showed sharp response against China ignoring it.

North Korea’s excitement did not cease after the bilateral meeting between China and South Korea. It launched two short-range missiles on July 9^th, the day China and United States held Security and Economic Dialogue in Beijing. Korean Central News Agency reported the test as conducted under the command of First Secretary of Korean Labor Party, Kim Jong-un. According to the Agency, it was in order to reassuring military capability of a striking company in the west front. The North delivered two scud missiles on July 13^th, supposedly a protest against entry of U.S. Carrier, George Washington, to the port of Busan, South Korea.

Japan has made no action against the North’s missile launches except superficial denouncing. Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, criticized the North’s missile launch on Sunday as violation of U.N. resolution and revealed Japan’s opposition through diplomatic channel in Beijing. However, he emphasized his willingness to continue negotiation with the North, saying “Missile launches does not affect negotiation over abductees issue.”

The fact that the North launched rockets the day after having a senior officials meeting with Japan showed its low interest in resolving the issue. Decades-long unshaken attitude of the North has been watching only U.S. Other players were out of its sight. In this situation with high security tension over the peninsula, no leaders in Japan can expect any diplomatic breakthrough with the North.