Repeated missile fire and rejection of the United States’ offer of resumption of dialogue as long as it pursues a “Hostile policy” : the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) has embarked on a new escalation that “Promotes instability and insecurity”, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
After testing a hypersonic missile earlier this week, Pyongyang announced that it had fired an anti-aircraft missile on Thursday, September 30. “Recently developed”. If this information is confirmed, these two missiles would testify to significant technological advances. The first, in particular, is more difficult to detect and therefore to intercept.
At the request of the United States, France and the United Kingdom, the United Nations Security Council is to hold, Friday 1er October, an emergency closed-door meeting. Scheduled for Thursday, this meeting was postponed for twenty-four hours at the instigation of China and Russia. So far, the Security Council has only sanctioned the DPRK following long-range missile fire or nuclear tests – suspended since 2017.
“Legitimate right to self-defense”
The hypersonic missile was launched shortly before North Korean Ambassador Kim Song spoke to the United Nations Assembly on September 27 to assert that “No one can deny the DPRK the legitimate right to self-defense or to develop, test, manufacture and own weapons.” An argument regularly invoked by Pyongyang.
The renewed tension created by these missile launches over the past two weeks is indeed a counterpoint to the regime’s overtures towards South Korea. Before the Supreme People’s Assembly, which is currently being held in Pyongyang, leader Kim Jong-un announced the re-establishment of the “red telephone” between Pyongyang and Seoul, cut off since August, a few days after a first recovery, due to American-South Korean military maneuvers.
He was also receptive to the appeal of Southern President Moon Jae-in addressed to the United Nations Assembly to the two Koreas, the United States and China (main belligerents of the Korean War, 1950- 1953) to sign a declaration ending a conflict suspended by a simple armistice. A first step towards relaxation “ promoting negotiations on denuclearization “, then estimated Mr. Moon.
” Food crisis “
Without rejecting this proposal, the sister and spokesperson of the leader, Kim Yo-jong, deemed it premature. During the People’s Assembly, Kim Yo-jong was appointed a member of the State Affairs Commission, the highest governing body chaired by Kim Jong-un. A promotion which confirms the leading role that it plays in the regime.
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