North Korea(Washington Insider Magazine) -Tensions are high in the Korean Peninsula, as the United States and its allies have been responding to North Korea’s flurry of recent missile tests. The missile that flew over neighboring Japan without warning has been a cause of concern for the world.
North Korea has tested ballistic missiles and they have done them seven times since September 25. International leaders are taking note of the signs that lead to further escalation after the potential nuclear test. Here’s what you must know about North Korea’s rush toward nuclear weapons and intercontinental missiles.
Why Is North Korea Desperate About In Missile Race?
Experts say that there are some major reasons why North Korea is accelerating the testing of the missiles so rapidly now. Firstly it might be the right time after the events of the last few years. The President of North Korea Kim declared victory against Covid in August. The US administration in place has also been focusing on shows of unity with South Korea.
“They’ve been unable to test for quite a few years due to political considerations, so I’d expect North Korean engineers and generals to be very eager to make sure their toys are going to work well,” said Andrei Lankov, who works as a professor at South Korea’s Kookmin University.
North Korea wants to remind the world that the country should not be ignored. They exist and their engineers are working around the clock in developing nuclear weapons and delivery systems. North Korea might have also been feeling emboldened to act now because the West is distracted by the war in Ukraine.
What Can The US And The allies Do To Stop North Korea?
The US and its allies have shown a quick military response after the missile attack by North Korea. According to the experts, there is less the world can do to stop or prepare for North Korea’s weapons tests.
“It’ll probably make some people in the US and (South Korea) a bit happier, but it’ll have zero impact on North Korea’s behavior and decision-making.” There is also a lack of intelligence which means that the US is largely left in the dark when it comes to Kim’s plans.
What Is North Korea Trying To Achieve?
Kim has been working towards developing an aggressive weapons development program. He has been making outstripped efforts and has been joined by his father and grandfather. Both of them have been precious North Korean leaders. The country’s nuclear program is the major aim of Kim’s ambitions.
In September, North Korea passed a law and declared the present condition of their nuclear weapons state. Kim has vowed to “never give up” on nuclear weapons. The law also demonstrated that North Korea has high hopes of strengthening its ties with China and Russia.
KCNA, North Korea’s state-run media, has not talked about any of the missile launches in the coming future. The mention of missile launches for months was the last report of a launch in March. North Korea is likely to continue developing weapons. The country is expected to launch ICBMs and submarine-launched ballistic missiles. It will get to a point where they’re satisfied with the missile development and might think that they’ll probably express an interest in making peace with the world.
Is A Nuclear Test Coming?
The missile tests done by North Korea have raised a lot of concerns and questions around the world. This concern in the short-term was whether North Korea will be launching a nuclear test. According to experts, a nuclear test is coming “anytime.”
However, the popular experts Schuster and Lankov both said that the current friendly relationship between North Korea and North Korean President Kim might wait until after China will be holding the high-profile Communist Party Congress later this month.
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The meeting of the party elite will play an important role during the significant event on the Chinese political calendar. The Chinese leader Xi Jinping is also expected to be appointed to a third term in power. This will further cement the status of the President as the most powerful Chinese leader in decades.
Kim has been depending too much on Chinese aid as he wants to keep his country afloat. This means that he can’t afford to do much to detract from the Party Congress. Although China can’t dictate to him what he must do he will not be causing any problems. We cannot predict if North Korea will further proceed with missile testing or not.
