Should Seoul Be Worried? North Korea Launches More Ballistic Missiles
North Korea continues to develop its ballistic missile technology, threatening South Korea, Japan, and even the United States.
The war in Ukraine might be grabbing the headlines, but the Indo-Pacific remains the most important region in the world today. China has awoken and is directly challenging U.S. influence in the region and around the world through a variety of means.
However, threats in the region do not come solely from China. To the north, North Korea remains a highly dangerous and unpredictable actor in the region. Only this week, for example, Pyongyang launched another salvo of ballistic missiles.
Pyongyang’s Ballistic Missile Menace
The North Korean fired several ballistic missiles in response to joint U.S.-South Korean military drills in the Korean Peninsula.
“We are aware of the DPRK’s multiple ballistic missile launches and are consulting closely with the Republic of Korea and Japan, as well as other regional allies and partners,” the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) said in a statement.
North Korea continues to develop its ballistic missile technology, threatening South Korea, Japan, and even the United States.
“The United States condemns these actions and calls on the DPRK to refrain from further unlawful and destabilizing acts. While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, or territory, or to our allies, we continue to monitor the situation. The U.S. commitments to the defense of the ROK and Japan remain ironclad,” INDOPACOM added.
But the North Korean military is up to more than just ballistic missile drills.
North Korea Is Learning from the Ukraine War
In addition to developing ballistic missile technology, Pyongyang has been learning a lot about modern warfare in the trenches of the Ukrainian conflict. The North Korean military has deployed more than 11,000 troops to Russia to support the Russian forces in the war against Ukraine. The North Korean troops have been almost exclusively used in the Kursk sector of the battlefield inside Russia.
The abrupt collision between North Korea’s antiquated army and the modern realities of war in Ukraine have been devastating for Pyongyang, which has lost over 4,000 men killed and wounded in just a few weeks of fighting. The casualties were so high that the Russian leadership had to pull the North Korean troops off the line. However, subsequent reinforcements have since allowed the North Koreans to get back into the fight.
Overall, reports from the ground indicate that North Korean soldiers are brave but unprepared to fight on a 21st century battlefield. Today, unmanned aerial systems, electronic warfare, and precise artillery dictate the battle. Nevertheless, the training and lessons that the North Korean troops are gaining through fighting in Kursk could prove invaluable to Pyongyang’s armed forces in the future.
North Korea has also been providing the Russian military with key military aid, including armored vehicles and artillery ammunition. More than 80 percent of casualties in the overall conflict since 2022 have been caused by artillery fire.
Overall, North Korea remains a considerable threat to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. But Pyongyang’s participation in the Ukrainian conflict on the side of Russia also suggests that the North Korean leadership has larger ambitions for its geopolitical position.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
Image: Shutterstock / Anton Watman.