Japan and South Korea are seriously concerned about North Korea’s new ballistic missile tests. Justifiable concerns, thinks Korean studies professor Remco Breuker of Leiden University. “It’s nothing North Korea is showing here.”
According to reports, it could be a new type of medium- to long-range missile. “That changes things,” especially if the rocket is actually running solid rather than liquid fuel, Breuker says. ‘This means that a rocket can be readied and launched in the blink of an eye, instead of the old rockets that had to be filled before. This makes a big difference when anticipating a possible attack.’
“It allows them to easily reach America and Europe.”
USA and Europe at your fingertips
An ICBM that North Korea owns can reach at least 12,000 kilometers. “They can easily reach America and Europe with this.” Breuker still has doubts. “We know very little. The only sure thing is that North Korea has tested new types of missiles several times in recent months.
North Korea and South Korea normally have daily contact to avoid tension between the two countries. This hotline however, it went unanswered from the North Korean side for seven days. “They’re doing it to intimidate South Korea, but they knew something was coming.”
Furious Japan and South Korea, situation controlled by North Korea
Japan and South Korea are outraged by North Korea’s latest missile tests, which narrowly missed Japanese territory. “But they can’t help but get angry. Japan itself can also fire missiles on North Korea, but that will only make the situation worse.’
The same goes for South Korea, Breuker says. “They say they no longer want to talk to North Korea, but they still won’t answer the phone. North Korea has proved good at initiating and controlling situations like this, where the other side can do nothing but stand by and feel intimidated.
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
