Launching against Pressure

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea launched a ballistic missile from the region in the north of Pyongyang around Pukchang on Sunday afternoon. The missile flew 500 kilometers to the eastward, reaching 560 kilometers of altitude, and touched down on Japan Sea, just out of economic exclusive zone of Japan. United States and South Korea identified it as the new type of middle-range ballistic missile called Polar Star 2. The launch showed firm defiance of North Korea against international pressure on its missile and nuclear development.

North Korea had launched another ballistic missile a week ago. In spite of deployment of U.S.S. Carl Vinson, a nuclear powered aircraft carrier, to the sea area around Korean Peninsula, North Korea demonstrated its determination of not giving in U.S. Trying to deter further intimidation of Kim Jong-un regime, U.S. Navy is sending U.S.S. Ronald Reagan to enhance its presence.

Japanese government realized that the launch of Polar Star 2 was a test of possible attack on U.S. military base in Japan. If the missile were launched with ordinary angle, it would fly as far as 2,000 kilometers, which range did not include Guam, 3,500 kilometers away from Korean Peninsula. Polar Star 2 was distinguished from Mars 12, an inter-continental ballistic missile which would target the mainland of U.S.

North Korean leadership evaluated the test of Polar Star 2 as successful. Having watched the test, Kim approved the plan of actual deployment of the missile with a hope of active production of it. North Korean newspaper reported that the missile was launched with technology called “cold launch,” igniting it in the air after the shooting, with new type of high-output engine run by solid fuel.

U.S. Trump administration was disappointed with the intimidation. Rex Tillerson insisted that U.S. pressure on North Korea was still in a primary phase, warning Kim regime that continuous test for nuclear development would not be the way toward their security or prosperity.

Shinzo Abe administration convened a meeting of National Security Council. “It was ruining international effort for peaceful solution of this issue and intimidation to the world,” told Abe after he ordered his staffs to deal with the issue in a resolved manner. His orders were something ordinary, including making effort to collect information and keeping Japanese people informed, confirming safety of aircrafts or vessels and being ready for unexpected events. Abe administration looks like getting accustomed to consecutive intimidation from North Korea.