East Asian “in-depth covernotes” (# 161)
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North Korea continues to fire missiles.
On November 2, South Korean joint chiefs of staff announced that North Korea had fired more than 20 missiles between the morning and evening of the same day. Notably, around 6:51 am, four short-range ballistic missiles were launched from the northern Pyongan province west towards the Yellow Sea. At around 8:51 am, three short-range ballistic missiles were launched from Wonsan, in Gangwon province, towards the Sea of Japan.
One of them crossed the Northern Limit Line (NLL) for the first time since the end of the Korean War in 1953 and landed near South Korean territorial waters. An air raid warning has been issued for Ulleungdo, Gyeongsangbuk-do.
Subsequently, around 9:12 am, 10 short-range and surface-to-air ballistic missiles were launched from South Hamgyong province in the east towards the Sea of Japan, and from southern Pyongan province and southern Hwanghae province in the west towards the Yellow Sea. The aforementioned were fired at the same time.
At around 13:27, more than 100 bullets were fired towards the Sea of Japan. At 4:30 pm it also fired six surface-to-air missiles.
11 missile launches since late September
According to an announcement by the Ministry of Defense the next day, around 7:39 am, a missile was launched from the west coast of North Korea at a maximum altitude of about 2,000 km and flew about 750 km, reaching the sea of the Japan on the east side of the Korean Peninsula autumn. Around 8:39 am it was launched from the North Korean hinterland, flew about 350 km at a maximum altitude of about 50 km and landed near the east coast of the Korean peninsula. Around 8:48 am it was launched from the North Korean hinterland, flew about 350 km at a maximum altitude of about 50 km and landed near the east coast of the Korean peninsula.
In addition, at around 21:34, 21:39 and 21:42, three ballistic missiles were launched from the North Korean hinterland towards the Sea of Japan. Each had a maximum altitude of around 150km and flew around 500km before falling. In addition, according to the announcement by the South Korean government, more than 80 bullets were fired towards the north-south buffer zone in the Sea of Japan at around 11:30 pm.
North Korea has launched missiles and other missiles 11 times since the end of September. How should we look at this unprecedented “madness”?