North Korea conducted another missile test, launching a projectile towards the waters off its east coast. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine citing the Japanese news agency Kyodo News and the international agency Associated Press (AP).
According to official data from the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, the launch took place on Thursday morning. Experts assess the probability that this was a ballistic missile as high. The projectile's trajectory led it to fall into the sea, posing no threat to Japanese territory or other countries in the region.
Course towards nuclear recognition
This test was the latest in a series of demonstrations of Pyongyang's military might this year. North Korea regularly presents new weapon samples, striving to strengthen its position on the international stage. Active expansion of nuclear and missile arsenals began in 2019, after diplomatic negotiations between leader Kim Jong Un and then-US President Donald Trump failed.
In the opinion of analysts, Kim Jong Un's main goal is to achieve international recognition of his country as a full-fledged nuclear state. Such status would allow Pyongyang to demand the lifting of harsh economic sanctions that have been strangling the North Korean economy for decades.
Shift in priorities: from ballistics to the fleet
In recent years, a noticeable shift has been observed in the DPRK's military doctrine. If priority was previously given to the development of ballistic missiles, the country's leader is now paying increasing attention to naval capabilities. In particular, in July, Kim Jong Un personally oversaw tests of a cruise missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. The uniqueness of this test was that the launch was made from the deck of a new 5,000-ton destroyer.
In addition, work is underway in the country to build a nuclear-powered submarine. In February, at the Workers' Party of Korea congress, Kim Jong Un announced five-year military goals, which include the creation of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) capable of being launched from underwater. This would turn the DPRK into a serious threat to global security, creating a hidden and hard-to-target nuclear potential.
Deepening alliance with Russia
Alongside internal militarism, Kim Jong Un is strengthening his diplomatic positions by actively developing relations with Russia. Pyongyang has become a key supplier of conventional weapons and, according to some data, military personnel to support Russia's war against Ukraine.
According to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), North Korea has already transferred more than 100 ballistic missiles and a specialized missile unit to Russia. Analysts warn that this cooperation allows Moscow to intensify missile strikes on Ukrainian territory, saving its own ammunition stocks.
Kyiv's reaction
The Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andriy Sybyga (the source text mentions the name Sybyga), stated at a briefing that North Korean missile units, if deployed on Russian territory, would immediately become a legitimate military target for Kyiv. He also called on the international community to tighten sanctions and extend the isolation of the regime in Pyongyang, pointing to the direct involvement of the North Korean leadership in the escalation of the conflict in Europe.
