KATHMANDU, Jan 4: North Korea on Sunday launched its first ballistic missiles of the year, sharply heightening regional and global tensions amid a volatile international development.
According to regional security officials, the launches came shortly after reports that U.S. President Donald Trump ordered action leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Pyongyang’s leader Kim Jong Un reportedly authorized the firing of at least two missiles, a move widely interpreted as a show of force at a moment of geopolitical uncertainty.
The missile tests coincided with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s official visit to China, where he is scheduled to hold a summit meeting with President Xi Jinping in Beijing. The talks are expected to focus on peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, adding diplomatic sensitivity to the timing of the launches.
North Korea fires short-range ballistic missiles: South Korean...
South Korea and Japan swiftly condemned the tests. Seoul’s presidential office convened an emergency national security meeting and urged Pyongyang to halt what it described as “provocative actions that violate United Nations Security Council resolutions.”
Japan’s Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi warned that the launches pose a serious threat to neighboring countries and the wider international community. “The Japanese government has lodged a strong protest with North Korea and condemns these actions in the strongest terms,” Koizumi said in a statement.
The US Indo-Pacific Command said the launches did not pose an immediate threat to American personnel, territory, or allies, but confirmed that Washington is closely consulting with regional partners to assess the situation.
South Korean military officials said the missiles traveled approximately 900 kilometers, while Japanese authorities reported two projectiles flying about 900 and 950 kilometers respectively before landing outside Japan’s territorial waters.
In response, the office of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi issued emergency directives, calling for intensified intelligence collection and analysis, timely public communication, and heightened safety measures for aircraft, ships, and other assets.
This marks North Korea’s first ballistic missile test since November 7 last year. Just a day earlier, Kim Jong Un had visited a weapons factory, urging officials to double production of strategic guided weapons. In recent weeks, he has also inspected arms manufacturing facilities and a nuclear submarine program, signaling an accelerated military buildup ahead of the ruling party’s upcoming congress.
Analysts say the latest launch underscores Pyongyang’s strategy of leveraging moments of global distraction to assert its military capabilities and strengthen its negotiating position.
