North Korea test-fires two short-range missiles - reports

[Vampirate Kitsune]

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North Korea test-fires two short-range missiles - reports

North Korea's military has fired short-range missiles into the East Sea (Sea of Japan) in an attempt to counter-act joint US-South Korean military exercises, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported.

"The launch was seen as testing its capability for short-range missiles. It seemed to be conducted on a military-unit level, not at a national level," a military source within the South Korean government told Yonhap. It remains unclear whether North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un ordered the tests.

The missiles were reportedly KN-02 mobile missiles, which are launched from the back of SCUD-like trucks and have the shortest range of all North Korean missiles.

They are a domestic variant of the Syrian ‘Scarab A’ missile, and have a range of 120-140km. They are usually used to take out large building targets, and can carry a small, tactical, nuclear load.

The news comes just one day after Kim Jong-Un oversaw a live-fire artillery drill near the disputed Yellow Sea border with South Korea, as the South's prime minister visited the area.

North Korea has threatened to unleash a second Korean War - backed by nuclear weapons - in response to UN sanctions imposed after its third atomic test in February and joint South Korea-US military maneuvers, which began last Monday.

The threat has prompted South Koreans to brace for conflict, stocking up on food and other basic needs.

[David2074]

So thus far, basically, South Korea and US have engaged in some war games exercises in the area and DPRK has responded by running some exercises of their own.
I'm okay with that. Launching a short range missile that COULD carry a nuclear warhead into the ocean isn't nearly as bad as launching a short range missile that DOES carry a nuclear warhead into South Korea.

[Shama_okami]

David2074

So thus far, basically, South Korea and US have engaged in some war games exercises in the area and DPRK has responded by running some exercises of their own.
I'm okay with that. Launching a short range missile that COULD carry a nuclear warhead into the ocean isn't nearly as bad as launching a short range missile that DOES carry a nuclear warhead into South Korea.

Normally I would agree, but all their posturing makes this look like just another attempt to get attention and make people fear them. They best be sure not to bark too loudly or one of the big dogs might bite.

[David2074]

Shama_okami

David2074

So thus far, basically, South Korea and US have engaged in some war games exercises in the area and DPRK has responded by running some exercises of their own.
I'm okay with that. Launching a short range missile that COULD carry a nuclear warhead into the ocean isn't nearly as bad as launching a short range missile that DOES carry a nuclear warhead into South Korea.

Normally I would agree, but all their posturing makes this look like just another attempt to get attention and make people fear them. They best be sure not to bark too loudly or one of the big dogs might bite.

I don't disagree with what you said. I don't see how what you said and what I said are in any way mutually exclusive. Every year both sides do exercises and every every year DPRK yips and whines and makes dramatic attention getting statements. The difference this year was in the level of the rhetoric. AFAIK this is the first time the saber rattling included talk of nuking South Korea or the US.

And yeah, if they bark too much they may get in trouble. The big countries that have nukes say they don't want the little countries to get them because they may not be stable enough to properly care for them or have the muscle to keep them safe. The small countries say they should be able to have them too and they can be reliable with them. Then along comes DPRK making wild claims about how they have the right to do premptive nuclear attacks on other countries because they are pissed off over some military exercises that happen every year and have been for years. That sort of talk doesn't exactly convince the larger nations how stable DPRK is with their nukes. DPRK runs the risk of someone actually believing them.