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A North Korean village in Kaepung County, South Hwanghae Province, is seen from an observatory on Ganghwa Island, Tuesday, the founding anniversary of the North's ruling Workers' Party of Korea. Pyongyang's did not conduct any military provocations on the anniversary. / Korea Times photo by Hong In-kee |
Allies keeping close watch on possible missile launch
By Jun Ji-hye
North Korea celebrated the founding anniversary of its ruling Workers' Party of Korea, Tuesday, without carrying out any military provocations.
But the South Korean military said it is continuously monitoring and tracking any developments in the North as the regime there could commit a large-scale provocation at any time.
"We are maintaining a thorough readiness posture in preparation for North Korea's possible provocations," said Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) spokesman Army Col. Roh Jae-cheon, refusing to elaborate further.
An official from Cheong Wa Dae also told reporters the North was capable of firing a missile at any time, but currently there were no signs of an imminent launch, such as fueling activities.
Sources noted movements of personnel and equipment in the North's missile facilities have been consistently monitored.
The repressive state has been widely expected to fire a long-range ballistic missile on or around the anniversary.
Russian legislators, who visited Pyongyang last week, said Saturday the Kim Jong-un regime plans to test a more powerful missile capable of hitting the West Coast of the United States.
Some observers also raised the possibility of the North conducting a hydrogen bomb test in the Pacific Ocean. North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho told reporters in New York during his visit to attend the United Nations General Assembly last month that this was a possibility.
The North fired two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in July and conducted its sixth nuclear test Sept. 3, which it claimed was a hydrogen bomb that could be carried by an ICBM.
Experts said the North would not do something so risky as it would result in armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump has been hinting at military action against Pyongyang.
"North Korea seems to be taking a cautious attitude, as any large-scale provocation would lead to a tough response from the United States," said Kim Yong-hyun, a professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University.
Trump said Saturday "only one thing" will work in coping with the North, voicing his strong objection to negotiations with the Kim regime. The U.S. president did not clarify what the one thing was, with observers construing it as referring to military action.
For his part, U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis urged the U.S. Army "to be ready" Monday in case President Trump orders action against the North.
Speaking to the Association of the United States Army Convention in Washington, Mattis said diplomatic and economic efforts to resolve the North Korea issue peacefully are currently underway, but a military option should be ready if those efforts fail.
Military officials here said it is still hard to rule out the possibility of additional provocations, pointing out that the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, scheduled for Oct. 18, could be another occasion for such actions.
The officials added the militaries of South Korea and the U.S. have stepped up their reconnaissance operations.