By Kang Seung-woo
North Korea has removed its two medium-range missile from a launch site on the east coast, a sign that tensions on the Korean Peninsula are likely to ease, international news media said Tuesday.
Citing U.S. officials, CNN reported that the Musudan missiles were taken off a launch-ready position located between the provinces of South Hamgyeong Province and Gangwon and transported to a storage facility.
However, the South’s defense ministry declined to comment on the report, saying the military is still tracking the missiles.
Amid growing saber-rattling including threats of nuclear strikes against Washington as well as Seoul, Pyongyang had deployed the Musudan, along with Scud and Rodong missiles, to the area, putting the United States, Japan and the South on their toes.
The Musudan, with a range of 3,000 to 4,000 kilometers, could fly as far as the U.S. territory of Guam, home to U.S. naval and air bases, while Scud and Rodong have a range of 300 to 500 kilometers and 1,300 to 1,500 kilometers, respectively.
In response, South Korea and Japan dispatched several Aegis radar-equipped destroyers to the East Sea to track the missiles’ trajectory.
North Korea watchers say that the tensions on the peninsula are easing.
“The peninsula has entered a turnaround situation,” said Koh Yu-hwan, a professor at Dongguk University.
“The North’s belligerence came from the joint South Korean-U.S. military exercises, and as they wrapped up (at the end of last month), the North is likely to turn things around.”
Shin Beom-Chul, a director of North Korea Military Studies at the Korea Institute of Defense Analyses, also said “the North’s military provocations ‘expectedly’ stand less chance.”
However, despite the lowered tensions, it is likely to take some time for the two Koreas to return to talks.
“As there is no official communication channel between two Koreas, they will need time to create favorable conditions and the North is expected to take action after the South’s trustpolitik with the North shapes up,” Koh said.
The U.S. government did not give special significance to the withdrawal.
“I wouldn't again comment on intelligence. But what we have seen recently is a ‘provocation pause.’ And we think that’s obviously beneficial to efforts to ensure we have peace and stability on the Korean peninsula,” said Pentagon spokesman George Little.
Daniel Russel, White House special assistant and senior director for Asian affairs, also said that “It’s premature to make a judgment about whether the North Koreans’ provocation cycle is going up, down or zigzagging.”