North Korea’s Missile Launches: A Tactic to Divert Internal Unrest, Says South Korean Minister

inews24 2024-02-02 PM 05:32 Views

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[iNews24, Dong Hyun Kim Reporter] Unification Minister Kim Young Ho recently analyzed North Korea’s ongoing missile launches and shelling provocations as an “intention to deflect internal dissatisfaction.”

Minister Kim appeared on the SBS radio “Kim Tae Hyun’s Politics Show” on the 2nd and said, “We must consider that the situation inside North Korea is very difficult due to both economic reasons and residents’ dissatisfaction. The economic hardship inside North Korea is severe.”

Unification Minister Kim Young Ho is answering questions from members at the National Assembly audit of the Ministry of Unification held at Yeouido, Seoul, on the morning of October 11 last year. [Photo by Kwak Young-rae]

He continued, “North Korea’s denial of being of the same race and presenting itself as two hostile nations also seem to be an attempt to divert such internal crises outward. It can be seen as a movement to strengthen the regime.”

He added, “I think it is an effort to suppress increasing dissatisfaction with the (North Korean) regime. Also, denying kinship can be interpreted as something North Korea does to justify its development of nuclear weapons and potential nuclear attacks on South Korea.”

Furthermore, he conveyed, “I think North Korea’s military provocations are very dangerous in themselves. Therefore, we must build a thorough deterrence system and pursue peace through power.”

He also said that “military threats or provocations have political meanings” and “there may be an intention to divide our public opinion ahead of the general election in April.”

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test launch of a submarine-launched cruise missile (SLCM) the day before and inspected the construction project of a nuclear submarine, according to the Workers’ Party newspaper Rodong Sinmun on the 29th of last month. The above photo is the Bulhwasal-3-31 type of submarine-launched strategic cruise missile. [Photo=Rodong Sinmun Capture]

He emphasized again, “I think we cannot maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula if we succumb to such threats from North Korea. It is very important not to overestimate the threat from North Korea, but to build a firm deterrence system against North Korean threats.”

Meanwhile, North Korea has already carried out its eighth military provocation this year, including firing several cruise missiles into the West Sea on the 28th and 30th of last month.