North Korea has apparently tested rockets again. Two "projectiles" of short range were flown after launch from a region north of the North Korean capital Pyongyang in the direction of the Sea of Japan (Korean: East Sea), said the General Staff of the South Korean armed forces on Tuesday. The initially unidentified projectiles were flown about 330 kilometers. The military oversees the situation and is on standby in the event of further weapons testing by North Korea.
The National Security Council in Seoul said "much concern" about the new test, similar to last week's North Korean missile tests. The General Staff called on the isolated neighboring country to refrain from actions that could lead to further tensions. A representative of the US government said they are monitoring the situation and are in close contact with the region's allies.
Missile tests as a means of pressure?
South Korea has speculated that North Korea may want to use the new missile tests to increase pressure on the US to respond to its demands in the dispute over the North Korean nuclear weapons program. North Korea's Deputy Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui had made it clear on Monday that her government still expected Washington to come up with new proposals that would satisfy Pyongyang.
She said that bilateral talks could take place later this month. Her country is ready to talk about all the issues that both sides have discussed so far. US President Donald Trump called the message from Pyongyang "interesting", but initially left open whether it could come soon to a meeting.
At a brief meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the inter-Korean border in late June, Trump had agreed to form disarmament working groups in the region. But such discussions between the two sides did not come about so far. In February, a summit between Trump and Kim had failed.
North Korea suffers from tough sanctions from the United Nations and the United States. The government in Washington, however, wants to keep the sanctions, as long as the risk associated with the North Korean nuclear program is not averted. In recent weeks, North Korea has also tested a series of missiles, including ballistic short-range missiles. UN resolutions prohibit the country from carrying out ballistic missile tests.
