North Korea's Lates Launch Of Nuclear Weapons To Respond To US And South Korean Military Training

Recently North Korea has returned to the international media scene as Satellite Imagery shows that there is a major training for the military parade that will be carried out by North Korea. The North Korean government has not yet confirmed when the military parade will be held, but it is expected to be on February 8, 2023 because it coincides with the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Army (KPA). According to records, this military parade will be the fifth military parade in less than three years. The military parade comes as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has confirmed the country's development of a long-range nuclear missile within one year. 

Preparations for the military parade this time were carried out when North Korea was increasing its missile weapons tests. This military parade exercise was caught in the southeastern area of Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea. Satellite imagery shows this exercise started from the first week of December 2022 and was carried out over several days.

• North Korea's New Missile Launch

North Korean New Missile Launch

In the photo captured by satellite imagery, it shows 11 thousand North Korean soldiers filling 39 formations containing 288 soldiers in each formation. In its history, North Korea has several times held military parades in certain state events. However, it is reported that the heavy weapons vehicle garage has not been active ahead of this military parade. It is possible that the military parade that will be held will not be as big as the military parade that was held in September 2021. 

This training was carried out after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un launched a test of his new monster missile, namely the Hwasong-17 which was launched on November 18, 2022. This missile is an intercontinental belistyk missile or ICBM which was successfully launched after there were doubts about this. North Korea's ICBM is liquid fuel and is the largest nuclear weapon in the world. Then another missile launch test was carried out on Friday, December 16, 2022 led by North Korean President Kim Jong Un.

The launch of this solid-based propellant engine is North Korea's success in making long-range missiles. This launch is said to have something to do with the previous launch, namely the belistyk intercontinental missile or ICBM which is thought to be able to reach United States soil. The propellant launched last December will be North Korea's new solid-based weapon. This launch was carried out in western North Korea to be precise at the Sohai statelit launch station, the missile was launched horizontally. 

Based on the news conveyed through state media Voice of Korea that the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un expects there will be another launch of a new type of strategic weapon in a short time without any detailed explanation regarding this matter. The US government says North Korea has reached the final stages of its seventh nuclear test conducted since 2006.

• Mutual Response to Movements Between the US and South Korea and North Korea

US and South Korean Missiles

North Korea is indeed known as a country that has high military weapons power, so the launch of this latest nuclear weapon has indeed been carefully planned. North Korea's ICBM missile firing exercise is reportedly a reaction to the confrontation between the United States and South Korea on the Korean Peninsula. Where the two countries are conducting joint military training located on the Korean Peninsula. 

The reason is, according to Kim Jong Un the actions taken by the US by placing the aircraft carrier back in the waters of the Korean Peninsula could threaten the security of North Korea. Because the ship is a ship with a large enough nuclear power. This joint US and South Korean military training is considered to be able to increase military tension on the Korean Peninsula. This is what makes North Korea strengthen its military strategy in order to maintain the security of its country.

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Joint US and South Korean military training

On Tuesday, October 4, North Korea tested its ballistic missile, which is rumored to be a high-altitude weapon that can cross Japan at medium range. If at that distance it is still considered medium, how about a missile that has a high range? Then, on Thursday, October 6, North Korea launched two missiles, of course, in response to military exercises between the US and South Korea. The North Korean president also explained that the threats made by the US and South Korea would again become a boomerang for his own country. 

Because he said that if the US and South Korea continue to provoke, then North Korea will not hesitate to take more offensive actions against the two countries. "If the enemy continues to pose threats to the DPRK, by frequently introducing means of nuclear strikes, our Party and government will resolutely react against nuclear with nuclear weapons and against all-out confrontation," said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

South Korean Missile Firing

The missile launched by North Korea again received a response from the US and South Korea. The United States launched the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missile into the Sea of Japan exactly the day after North Korea conducted its missile test on Wednesday, October 5, 2022. The Seoul military said that this missile launch was a response to North Korea's previous test, the previous day. , namely Tuesday North Korea launched a medium-range missile. 

The South Korean government stated that it would provide a firm response to North Korea for the movement of the missile. It is reported that South Korea also launched its missile, namely Hyunmoo-2. However, this missile failed when it landed and fell in the city of Gangneung, luckily this did not cause any casualties.

North Korean Missile Firing

In addition to the missile tests, on Tuesday 4 October 2022 South Korean F-15K fighter jets dropped two precision bombs on virtual targets on the uninhabited island of Jikdo in the Yellow Sea as part of exercises with US forces. This also led to retaliatory missile launches by the US and South Korea. However, South Korea's failure in the launch on Wednesday, October 5 will be a boost for North Korea and become something that makes North Korea feel above them.

• North Korea's Strengthening

North Korean Ballistic Missile

The Hwasongpho-17 ICBM was launched from Pyongyang International Airport with a maximum altitude of 6,040.9 km and flew 999.2 km. This missile took off and landed in the eastern sea where the area has become the target of ICBM missile launches. With the sophistication of his new nuclear weapons, Kim Jong Un believes that these missiles are capable of conquering opponents. In other words, Kim Jong Un believes that his missiles can balance the enemy's forces. 

The missile launched was reportedly in response to military exercises between the US and South Korea. It is estimated that North Korea will hold a military parade in early 2023 to showcase its new weapons as is usually done by a country with high military power.

On the other hand, Kim Jong Un still asks scientific scientists to continue to increase the development of nuclear weapons in order to protect his country from any future threats. In launching the ICBM missile, Kim Jong Un was accompanied by his wife, children and other important officials such as Jo Yong Won, Ri Il Hwan, Jon Hyon Chol, Ri Chung Gil and Kim Jong Sik. Which indicates that this launch was really carried out officially and is an important activity. 

The actions taken by the North Korean leader again received a response from the US and South Korea. They returned to conducting joint training by testing several of their missiles. Seeing North Korean missiles passing through Japan, the Japanese government began to urge the public to be careful.

Relation to International Relations Theory

Seeing the dispute that occurred between North Korea and the US and South Korea (which are allies) by firing missiles at each other, we can see that this has something to do with the theory of International Relations, namely Constructivism. Where the Constructivism theory says that there are three things that make a country able to determine other countries as rivals or friends. 

These three things include, interdependence, common fate, homogeneity which is based on the similarity of ideology, identity, and interests. This phenomenon shows that South Korea and the United States have the same national identity so they can cooperate. Then, North Korea has a different ideological background from the US and South Korea. As we all know, these three countries have unfavorable diplomatic relations. 

So that increased strength in the US and South Korea will be a threat to North Korea and vice versa. Meanwhile, the increase in US strength will not be a threat to South Korea, because again they are friends according to what is explained in the theory of Constructivism.