The U.S. government disclosed in unusual detail the circumstances under which North Korea recently provided dozens of ballistic missiles and launchers to Russia, which is at war with Ukraine. It is analyzed as an intention to increase the United States’ intelligence capabilities and the international community’s atmosphere of sanctions against Russia.
John Kirby, director of strategic communications at the White House’s National Security Council (NSC), said in a briefing on the 4th (local time) that the Russian military launched at least one of the ballistic missiles provided by North Korea into Ukraine on December 30 of last year.
The White House understands that this missile, launched from Russian territory, flew about 460 km and landed in an open space near Zaporizh, Ukraine. It is also believed that a number of North Korean-made ballistic missiles were used when the Russian military carried out a night attack on Ukraine on the 2nd.
Our military authorities also announced in November last year that North Korea may have supported not only conventional artillery shells but also short-range ballistic missiles, and the related trend has been confirmed in great detail by the U.S. intelligence network.
There is an analysis that there is a clear intention and ‘implication’ in the disclosure of such US intelligence activities.
First, the analysis is that it is a ploy to control arms trade between North Korea and Russia as much as possible, that is, as a deterrent. The reason the number of missiles, launch dates, ranges, and even launch pads are mentioned is because the United States is ‘confident’ in its information, and even if North Korea and Russia deny the fact of the arms deal, they actively provide information to alert the international community to this, thus establishing a close relationship between North Korea and Russia. The idea is to create negative public opinion about it.
Park Won-gon, a professor at Ewha Womans University, said, “This means that the U.S. has solid information and is closely watching the arms trade between North Korea and Russia. If the information is incorrect, North Korea and Russia may say, ‘The U.S. doesn’t know,’ and expand the scope of cooperation, but the U.S. “By mentioning the date and range this time, there is room for the North Korea-Russia arms trade to shrink,” he said.
It seems possible to analyze that this suggests the imposition of additional sanctions against Russia and North Korea. The United States has already announced that it will address the issue of the recently discovered ballistic missile trade between North Korea and Russia at the UN Security Council.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield shared the results of the White House’s analysis in a statement that day and said, “We will raise this issue at the Security Council briefing on Ukraine on the 10th.”
The fact that South Korea, the United States, and Japan are working together as members of the UN Security Council this year makes it possible to predict that cooperation at the Security Council level regarding North Korea and Russia may be relatively strengthened this year.
As permanent members of the Security Council, China and Russia, are refusing to discuss issues involving North Korea at the Security Council level, official discussions and results are still difficult. However, it is observed that it is meaningful for South Korea, the United States, and Japan to raise their voices together on the Security Council stage and leave an official record. am.
In addition, Korea, the United States, and Japan, together with like-minded countries, are expected to continue to seek ways to impose sanctions against Russia and North Korea independently but interconnectedly.
Moon Seong-mook, director of the Center for Unification Strategy at the Korea Institute for National Strategy, said, “As a non-permanent member of the Security Council, Korea must play a role in gathering opinions by raising awareness of the illegality of the North Korea-Russia arms trade and spreading consensus on joint responses.” He added, “Measures of sanctions against North Korea and Russia.” “Of course, we need to work with the United States and other countries to come up with a plan to strengthen practical response capabilities,” he said.
In addition, the U.S. White House’s recent disclosure of the North Korea-Russia ballistic missile transaction is believed to be indirectly requesting support for Ukraine from allies and friends. In particular, it is pointed out that the possibility of the United States demanding a change in attitude toward Korea, which maintains the position of ‘no support for lethal weapons’, cannot be ruled out.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.