Seoul, Washington calibrate response to North Korea
This Saturday, May 4, in a photo provided by the North Korean government May 5, shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, equipped with binoculars, observing tests of different weapons systems, in North Korea. AP-Yonhap
By Kim Yoo-chul
By Kim Yoo-chul
Despite North Korea conducting a live-fire drill of long-range multiple rocket launchers and unspecified tactical guided weapons, South Korea is standing with the United States to maintain Trump's version of “strategic patience” toward Pyongyang to keep the nuclear diplomacy going.
On Sunday, a senior presidential aide told The Korea Times that while Cheong Wa Dae is concerned about the North's actions, the presidential office has “no imminent plans” to implement any harsh response to the latest missile tests.
“Senior government officials from the United States, Japan and South Korea agreed to 'cautiously respond' to the latest drill and continue communication by sharing key information and the latest updates as none of them want to see further backtracking after seeing progress towards resolving the North's nuclear issue,” the aide said.
Early Sunday, South Korea's defense ministry announced unspecified projectiles such as the brand-new tactical guided weapons were fired and flown 70 kilometers to 240 kilometers toward the northeast coast from the North Korean side.
While the ministry characterized the exact type of weapons the North launched as “projectiles,” some military experts in Seoul said one of the weapons fired was more likely a “short-range ballistic missile” as the surface of the launchers appeared similar to the Iskandar, a short-range ballistic missile initially developed by Russia.
Regarding comments about confusion on the matter, Cheong Wa Dae declined to comment.
If confirmed, it would be the first North Korean missile test in 18 months. United Nations Security Council resolutions banned the North from conducting any ballistic missile tests. North Korea earlier applied a self-imposition of its own moratorium in test-firing any of its missiles, which eventually helped realize two in-person meetings between its leader Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump.
People watch a TV showing a news program reporting North Korea's missile launch, at the Seoul Station in Seoul, May 5, 2019. AP-Yonhap
Trump reacted to the North's latest provocations saying he still believes a nuclear deal with North Korea is possible. “Anything in this very interesting world is possible. I believe that Kim Jong Un fully realizes the great economic potential of North Korea and will do nothing to interfere or end it,” Trump wrote in a Twitter post.
Cheong Wa Dae didn't respond to reports by U.S. online media outlet Vox which quoted an unidentified source as saying that Trump was “pissed off” and “senior aides were urging (Trump) not to tweet anything until he spoke with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.”
Another presidential aide said Stephen Biegun, the U.S. special envoy for North Korea, may add a meeting with presidential National Security Office (NSO) chief Chung Eui-yong to his schedule during his planned visit to South Korea, May 9-10, to analyze the possible impact the North's firing may have on nuclear disarmament talks.
Earlier expectations were that Biegun had planned to meet his counterparts in the South's foreign ministry to develop talks on how to supply humanitarian-oriented aid to impoverished North Korea.
“Biegun is highly likely to pass on messages that he was given by U.S. government officials to the NSO chief Chung. The senior presidential aide Chung is expected to tell Biegun that nuclear diplomacy should be continued no matter what the situation is,” a South Korean government official said.
During President Moon Jae-in's recent summit with Trump in Washington D.C., the U.S. leader signaled an openness to provide limited sanctions relief to North Korea.
Kim Jong-un said he was interested in holding his third summit with Trump but set the deadline as “by the end of this year”. President Moon is still trying to push to hold his fourth summit with the North Korean leader. However, Seoul's plan to send a special envoy to facilitate another inter-Korean summit was put on hold.
In Hanoi, Kim Jong-un demanded Trump ease sanctions in exchange for his regime's decision to completely dismantle its Yongbyon nuclear complex. But Trump rejected Kim's offer claiming Washington can't ease sanctions without the full and verifiable dismantlement of the North's nuclear program. Since the failed talks, the two sides haven't seen any substantial progress in nuclear dialogue.