| South Korea and the United States hold a combined live-fire exercise at an unspecified location, Monday. Courtesy of Joint Chiefs of Staff |
Yoon vows firm response to Pyongyang's saber-rattling
By Kang Seung-woo
One day after North Korea's barrage of ballistic missile launches, South Korea and the United States responded, Monday, to the threats with another show of force by firing their own ballistic missiles, according to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
It is the second time that Seoul and Washington have responded in kind to Pyongyang's increasing saber-rattling, following their counter-action in response to the Kim Jong-un regime's launch of what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), May 25. This marks a dramatic shift of the South Korean government's North Korea policy to a hardline stance from a conciliatory approach, according to diplomatic observers.
Plus, President Yoon Suk-yeol said in his Memorial Day speech that his administration will respond firmly to further provocations from the North.
The JCS said the South Korean and U.S. militaries fired eight surface-to-surface Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles ― seven by South Korea and one by the U.S. ― from northeastern South Korea into the East Sea at 4:45 a.m. in the space of around 10 minutes, assuming the scenario of delivering precision strikes against various targets.
“The launches demonstrate the capability and posture to deliver immediate precision strikes on the origins of provocations and their command and support forces,” the JCS said in a statement.
“Our military strongly condemns the North's series of ballistic missile provocations and seriously urges it to immediately stop acts that raise military tensions on the peninsula and add to security concerns.”
Hours later, U.S. Forces Korea also confirmed the combined live-fire exercise in order to demonstrate the ability of the allies to respond quickly to crisis events.
On Sunday, North Korea fired an unprecedented eight short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) in succession over 35 minutes from four different sites in its 18th show of force this year alone and the third since Yoon's May 10 inauguration, and the allies' response seems to have matched the North's missile display.
The four types of SRBMs that North Korea fired traveled 110 kilometers to 670 kilometers at maximum altitudes of 25 kilometers to 90 kilometers, while the ATACMS can fly 300 kilometers and reach an apogee of 50 kilometers.
When the North Korean military test-fired three missiles last month, including one which was likely an ICBM, South Korea and the U.S. fired a Hyunmoo-II ballistic missile and an ATACMS missile into the East Sea, respectively, to highlight their rapid response strike capabilities. In addition, the South conducted a fighter jet exercise.
However, although the allies are strengthening deterrence with defense exercises in response to North Korea's recent missile launches, the South's missile defense is currently insufficient against the expanding North Korean threats, according to Leif-Eric Easley, an associate professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University.
“This calls not only for further investments in hardware, but also a more multilayered approach coordinated with Japan and diplomatic efforts with Beijing to reduce arms race dynamics with Pyongyang,” Easley said.
| President Yoon Suk-yeol speaks during a ceremony marking Memorial Day at Seoul National Cemetery, Monday. Yonhap |
Yoon continued his strong rhetoric against North Korea's provocations in his speech marking Memorial Day.
“Even at this moment, North Korea's nuclear and missile threats have been advancing,” Yoon said during a ceremony held at Seoul National Cemetery, adding that they are reaching a level that threatens peace not only on the Korean Peninsula, but also in Northeast Asia and the world.
“Our government will respond firmly and sternly to any provocations from North Korea.”
The president also said that by deterring Pyongyang's challenges, the South Korean administration will try to have more fundamental and practical security capabilities.
Meanwhile, North Korea's state-run media outlets once again remained quiet over the previous day's missile launches, extending its streak of an absence of reporting on its missile launches since last month.
Diplomatic experts believe that North Korea's silence on the launches may have to do with the regime's plan to promote the provocations as a routine military action, as well as China's desire to prevent tensions from growing on the peninsula.