By Kang Seung-woo
North Korea’s habit of using missile tests for diplomatic gains is back in full swing, as it launched an unprecedented 25 short-range missiles Sunday night, analysts said Monday.
Some speculate that the Stalinist country’s missile card is to attract the attention of the international community as well as pressure its southern neighbor.
Since Feb. 21, Pyongyang has launched short-range missiles or rockets on five occasions.
“Recent short-range missile launches are mainly targeting South Korea in an apparent protest against the ongoing joint military exercise with the U.S.,” said Chang Yong-seok, a senior researcher at the Institute for Peace and Unification Studies at Seoul National University.
“In addition, given that the North depends on short-range missiles that only cover the Korean Peninsula, they are expressing discontent with the South.”
Last week, North Korea denounced the South for failing to comply with an agreement made at high-level talks last month for the two countries to stop slandering each other in order to improve relations.
Kim Yong-hyun, a professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University, said that the launches were to get international attention especially that of the U.S.
“For a long time, North Korea has dropped off the radar of the world, but the military actions have gotten the country back to center stage,” he said in a media interview.
In terms of seeking attention from Washington, the Kim Jong-un regime seems to be getting just that.
“We are closely monitoring the situation on the Korean Peninsula,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a brief statement. “We once again call on North Korea to refrain from provocative actions that aggravate tensions.”
Despite the call, more firings of short-range missiles are expected until April 18, when the Foal Eagle exercise ends, the analysts said.
Chang said along with the joint military drill, North Korea’s human rights issues and discussions of United Nations sanction over the North’s missile launches will also lead the country to take additional provocative action.
“In resistance to the issues, the North may opt to make public its nuclear reactor in Yongbyon or fire a long-range missile,” he said.
But he --> Kim argued that a fourth nuclear test may not be on the cards.
“If the North carries out a test, it will face huge pressure from the international community including China,” Kim said.
Incensed by Pyongyang’s third nuclear test in February last year, Beijing distanced itself from Pyongyang, joining the U.S.-led U.N. Security Council’s expanded sanctions on the North in March.
In addition, the state-run Bank of China suspended all transactions by the Foreign Trade Bank of North Korea, another U.S.-led push to stifle funding for the North’s nuclear and missile proliferation programs.