By Kang Seung-woo
South Korea condemned North Korea Sunday after the latter test-fired short-range missiles into the sea off its east coast.
"South Korea defines North Korea's provocative actions as deplorable and calls on the North to act responsibly in the international community," Ministry of Unification spokesman Kim Hyung-suk said at a hurriedly-arranged press conference.
The Ministry of National Defense announced Saturday that the North test-fired two missiles in the morning and one in the afternoon.
"They appeared to have been short-range weapons rather than mid- to long-range ones such as the Musudan," spokesman Kim Min-seok said in a briefing.
The missiles launched may be a modified anti-ship missile or the KN-02 surface-to-surface missile derived from the Soviet era SS-21 that has a range of about 120 kilometers, ministry officials said.
Seoul also holds Pyongyang responsible for the closure of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex and the lack of inter-Korean talks to resolve the issue.
The North stopped all access to Gaesong from the South on April 3, and subsequently withdrew all 53,000 North Korean workers employed by the 123 South Korean companies operating there on April 9.
The South's latest offer to hold talks with the North was rejected last week.
"It's quite regrettable that Pyongyang Korea has denigrated our dialogue proposals and distorted facts while shifting the blame for the halted operations to us," the unification ministry spokesman said. "If North Korea is serious about discussions over raw materials, it must respond to our offer for talks."
The U.S. government also criticized the North's launching of missiles.
"North Korea will achieve nothing by threats or provocations, which only further isolates the DPRK and undermines international efforts to ensure peace and stability in Northeast Asia," National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said. The DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.
Watchers say that Pyongyang's launching of missiles after a long break from saber-rattling is aimed at creating tension in the international community, as the Kim Jong-un regime has failed to grab chances of bilateral talks with the United States and its relations with China are also becoming shaky.
"As the U.S.-North Korean relations are at a standstill, the North is attempting to draw the attention of the international community and is beefing up its presence through the missile launch," said Kim Yong-hyun, a professor at Dongguk University.
However, he said there is little chance for the North to engage in further acts of provocation for fear of aggravating the United States.
Angered by the joint South Korean-U.S. military drills, the reclusive communist country had deployed Musudan, an untested mid-range missile, along with Scud and Rodong missiles on its east coast, but recently removed the weapons from projected launch sites.
Sticking with short-range missiles shows that the North was considering the aftermath it may face, said Shin Beom-Chul, a director of North Korea Military Studies at the Korea Institute of Defense Analyses.
Following its rocket launch in December and nuclear test in February, North Korea was slapped with increased U.N. sanctions.
"It is hard to say the North showed its willingness to immediately return to the negotiating table, but it tried to escape further punishment," Shin said.
Over the past two months, tension was high on the Korean peninsula due to the North's daily warlike threats, but it has been cooling down after the joint South Korean-U.S. drills ended last month. Saturday's test is not expected to turn the clock back.
"North Korea is showing signs of wanting to talk and I think the United States will also able to meet the North at a certain level because Glyn Davies, the top U.S. envoy on North Korea, has just visited South Korea, China and Japan," Shin concluded.
South Korea condemned North Korea Sunday after the latter test-fired short-range missiles into the sea off its east coast.
"South Korea defines North Korea's provocative actions as deplorable and calls on the North to act responsibly in the international community," Ministry of Unification spokesman Kim Hyung-suk said at a hurriedly-arranged press conference.
The Ministry of National Defense announced Saturday that the North test-fired two missiles in the morning and one in the afternoon.
"They appeared to have been short-range weapons rather than mid- to long-range ones such as the Musudan," spokesman Kim Min-seok said in a briefing.
The missiles launched may be a modified anti-ship missile or the KN-02 surface-to-surface missile derived from the Soviet era SS-21 that has a range of about 120 kilometers, ministry officials said.
Seoul also holds Pyongyang responsible for the closure of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex and the lack of inter-Korean talks to resolve the issue.
The North stopped all access to Gaesong from the South on April 3, and subsequently withdrew all 53,000 North Korean workers employed by the 123 South Korean companies operating there on April 9.
The South's latest offer to hold talks with the North was rejected last week.
"It's quite regrettable that Pyongyang Korea has denigrated our dialogue proposals and distorted facts while shifting the blame for the halted operations to us," the unification ministry spokesman said. "If North Korea is serious about discussions over raw materials, it must respond to our offer for talks."
The U.S. government also criticized the North's launching of missiles.
"North Korea will achieve nothing by threats or provocations, which only further isolates the DPRK and undermines international efforts to ensure peace and stability in Northeast Asia," National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said. The DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.
Watchers say that Pyongyang's launching of missiles after a long break from saber-rattling is aimed at creating tension in the international community, as the Kim Jong-un regime has failed to grab chances of bilateral talks with the United States and its relations with China are also becoming shaky.
"As the U.S.-North Korean relations are at a standstill, the North is attempting to draw the attention of the international community and is beefing up its presence through the missile launch," said Kim Yong-hyun, a professor at Dongguk University.
However, he said there is little chance for the North to engage in further acts of provocation for fear of aggravating the United States.
Angered by the joint South Korean-U.S. military drills, the reclusive communist country had deployed Musudan, an untested mid-range missile, along with Scud and Rodong missiles on its east coast, but recently removed the weapons from projected launch sites.
Sticking with short-range missiles shows that the North was considering the aftermath it may face, said Shin Beom-Chul, a director of North Korea Military Studies at the Korea Institute of Defense Analyses.
Following its rocket launch in December and nuclear test in February, North Korea was slapped with increased U.N. sanctions.
"It is hard to say the North showed its willingness to immediately return to the negotiating table, but it tried to escape further punishment," Shin said.
Over the past two months, tension was high on the Korean peninsula due to the North's daily warlike threats, but it has been cooling down after the joint South Korean-U.S. drills ended last month. Saturday's test is not expected to turn the clock back.
"North Korea is showing signs of wanting to talk and I think the United States will also able to meet the North at a certain level because Glyn Davies, the top U.S. envoy on North Korea, has just visited South Korea, China and Japan," Shin concluded.
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