By Kang Seung-woo
North Korea fired two short-range missiles into the sea off its eastern coast Monday, both of which fell within Japan’s air defense identification zone, according to South Korea’s defense ministry.
One fell 400 kilometers northwest of Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, while the other landed 456 kilometers northwest of the same area.
“North Korea fired the missiles into an area used by civilian airlines and ships. Not proclaiming a no-sail, no-fly zone before the missile launch is a violation of international regulations,” said a senior government official.
The defense ministry said earlier in the day that the North launched two missiles in a northeasterly direction at 6:19 a.m.
“The projectiles are thought to be Scud (C-type) missiles given their range capability of 500 kilometers,” ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said at a briefing.
The communist country has three types of Scud missiles ― the Scud B with a range of 300 kilometers, the Scud C with a range of 500 and the Scud D with a range of 700.
The missile launch came four days after Pyongyang fired four Scuds Thursday that flew about 220 kilometers in the direction of Russia and fell into the sea ― the first firing of a Scud missile since 2009.
The spokesman said that the North’s missile launches violated U.N. Security Council (UNSC) resolutions which ban the use of ballistic missile technology, even though the missiles were fired into its territorial waters.
“In light of the border trespassing and short-range missile launches, South Korean and U.S. forces have stepped up their surveillance status to closely watch the North Korean military’s latest moves,” Kim said. “We are ready to strike back if provoked.”
North Korean watchers say that the missile launch is part of boosting its military capability.
“This year, North Korea is setting its sights on developing weapons as well as strengthening its military readiness posture, and the missile firings on two occasions are seen as part of training,” said Chang Yong-seok, a senior researcher at the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies at Seoul National University.
“In addition, the missile launches are a response to the ongoing joint South Korean-U.S. military training.”
South Korean and U.S. forces last week began the two-week-long Key Resolve, a command-post exercise that ensures the ROK-U.S. alliance is prepared to defend South Korea, while the ongoing Foal Eagle field training exercise will run through April 18.
Last month, the two Koreas held reunions for families separated since the Korean War for the first time in three years prompting hopes of warming relations on the Korean peninsula. However, the North’s missile-firings will likely put a damper on those feelings.
Chang said that the Kim Jong-un regime will likely maintain a “peaceful” stance.
“Given that the North fired short-range missiles, it is a low-level provocation and it is not trying to heighten tensions on the peninsula,” he said.