North\u00a0Korea\u00a0has\u00a0stepped\u00a0up\u00a0a\u00a0campaign\u00a0of\u00a0rhetoric\u00a0against\u00a0Japan\u2019s\u00a0military\u00a0buildup\u00a0and\u00a0its\u00a0security\u00a0ties\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0US\u00a0and\u00a0Republic\u00a0of\u00a0Korea,\u00a0saying\u00a0that\u00a0they\u00a0threaten\u00a0regional\u00a0stability.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The\u00a0criticism\u00a0in\u00a0more\u00a0than\u00a0a\u00a0dozen\u00a0state\u00a0media\u00a0attacks\u00a0since\u00a0early\u00a0July\u00a0has\u00a0coincided\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0silence\u00a0over\u00a0the\u00a0North\u2019s\u00a0missile\u00a0launches,\u00a0raising\u00a0questions\u00a0about\u00a0Pyongyang\u2019s\u00a0broader\u00a0strategic\u00a0messaging.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
North\u00a0Korean\u00a0statements\u00a0have\u00a0targeted\u00a0Japan\u2019s\u00a0acquisition\u00a0of\u00a0counter-strike\u00a0capabilities,\u00a0testing\u00a0of\u00a0a\u00a0US-made\u00a0Tomahawk\u00a0cruise\u00a0missile,\u00a0rising\u00a0defence\u00a0spending\u00a0and\u00a0Tokyo\u2019s\u00a0annual\u00a0defence\u00a0white\u00a0paper.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The\u00a0latest\u00a0broadside\u00a0came\u00a0on\u00a0Friday,\u00a0when\u00a0North\u00a0Korea\u00a0criticised\u00a0annual\u00a0US-Korean\u00a0Ulchi\u00a0Freedom\u00a0Shield\u00a0military\u00a0drills\u00a0and\u00a0accused\u00a0US-Korean-Japan\u00a0military\u00a0co-operation\u00a0of\u00a0evolving\u00a0into\u00a0a\u00a0\u201cnuclear\u00a0alliance\u201d.\u00a0Washington\u00a0and\u00a0Seoul\u00a0say\u00a0the\u00a0drills\u00a0are\u00a0defensive.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Analysts\u00a0say\u00a0Japan\u00a0is\u00a0only\u00a0part\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0story.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Park\u00a0Won-gon,\u00a0a\u00a0professor\u00a0at\u00a0Seoul\u2019s\u00a0Ewha\u00a0Womans\u00a0University,\u00a0said\u00a0the\u00a0primary\u00a0goal\u00a0is\u00a0to\u00a0frame\u00a0Northeast\u00a0Asia\u00a0as\u00a0a\u00a0contest\u00a0between\u00a0rival\u00a0camps.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe\u00a0biggest\u00a0objective\u00a0is\u00a0to\u00a0create\u00a0a\u00a0US-Korea-Japan\u00a0versus\u00a0North\u00a0Korea-China-Russia\u00a0framework,\u201d\u00a0Park\u00a0said.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The\u00a0expert\u00a0said\u00a0that\u00a0Pyongyang\u00a0wants\u00a0stronger\u00a0backing\u00a0from\u00a0Beijing\u00a0and\u00a0Moscow\u00a0to\u00a0cement\u00a0its\u00a0escape\u00a0from\u00a0diplomatic\u00a0isolation\u00a0and\u00a0to\u00a0bolster\u00a0arguments\u00a0that\u00a0its\u00a0nuclear\u00a0arsenal\u00a0is\u00a0necessary.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The\u00a0heightened\u00a0rhetoric\u00a0has\u00a0coincided\u00a0with\u00a0unusual\u00a0silence\u00a0on\u00a0North\u00a0Korea\u2019s\u00a0recent\u00a0missile\u00a0launches,\u00a0which\u00a0were\u00a0condemned\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0Republic\u00a0of\u00a0Korea,\u00a0Japan\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0US.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Despite\u00a0conducting\u00a0ballistic\u00a0missile\u00a0tests\u00a0last\u00a0week\u00a0and\u00a0again\u00a0this\u00a0week,\u00a0state\u00a0media\u00a0has\u00a0yet\u00a0to\u00a0report\u00a0either,\u00a0departing\u00a0from\u00a0its\u00a0usual\u00a0pattern\u00a0of\u00a0publicising\u00a0tests\u00a0within\u00a0a\u00a0day.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kim\u00a0Yong-hyun,\u00a0a\u00a0professor\u00a0at\u00a0Dongguk\u00a0University,\u00a0said\u00a0North\u00a0Korea\u00a0may\u00a0be\u00a0avoiding\u00a0publicity\u00a0if\u00a0launches\u00a0are\u00a0connected\u00a0to\u00a0prospective\u00a0military\u00a0exports.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ukrainian\u00a0President\u00a0Volodymyr\u00a0Zelensky\u00a0has\u00a0repeatedly\u00a0said\u00a0Russia\u00a0continues\u00a0to\u00a0use\u00a0North\u00a0Korean\u00a0missiles\u00a0against\u00a0Ukraine\u00a0and\u00a0has\u00a0accused\u00a0Pyongyang\u00a0of\u00a0providing\u00a0Moscow\u00a0with\u00a0missiles,\u00a0ammunition\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0further\u00a0promise\u00a0of\u00a0troops\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0war\u00a0effort.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Analysts\u00a0say\u00a0North\u00a0Korea\u00a0is\u00a0seeking\u00a0to\u00a0cast\u00a0the\u00a0region\u00a0in\u00a0terms\u00a0of\u00a0competing\u00a0blocs,\u00a0with\u00a0Pyongyang,\u00a0Beijing\u00a0and\u00a0Moscow\u00a0on\u00a0one\u00a0side\u00a0and\u00a0Washington,\u00a0Seoul\u00a0and\u00a0Tokyo\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0other.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Portraying\u00a0US-Korea-Japan\u00a0co-operation\u00a0as\u00a0an\u00a0increasingly\u00a0threatening\u00a0military\u00a0and\u00a0nuclear\u00a0alliance\u00a0helps\u00a0Pyongyang\u00a0justify\u00a0its\u00a0weapons\u00a0programmes,\u00a0bolster\u00a0Chinese\u00a0and\u00a0Russian\u00a0backing\u00a0and\u00a0argue\u00a0that\u00a0its\u00a0nuclear\u00a0arsenal\u00a0is\u00a0a\u00a0necessary\u00a0response\u00a0to\u00a0a\u00a0worsening\u00a0security\u00a0environment,\u00a0they\u00a0say.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"North\u00a0Korea\u00a0has\u00a0stepped\u00a0up\u00a0a\u00a0campaign\u00a0of\u00a0rhetoric\u00a0against\u00a0Japan\u2019s\u00a0military\u00a0buildup\u00a0and\u00a0its\u00a0security\u00a0ties\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0US\u00a0and\u00a0Republic\u00a0of\u00a0Korea,\u00a0saying\u00a0that\u00a0they\u00a0threaten\u00a0regional\u00a0stability. \u00a0 The\u00a0criticism\u00a0in\u00a0more\u00a0than\u00a0a\u00a0dozen\u00a0state\u00a0media\u00a0attacks\u00a0since\u00a0early\u00a0July\u00a0has\u00a0coincided\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0silence\u00a0over\u00a0the\u00a0North\u2019s\u00a0missile\u00a0launches,\u00a0raising\u00a0questions\u00a0about\u00a0Pyongyang\u2019s\u00a0broader\u00a0strategic\u00a0messaging. \u00a0 North\u00a0Korean\u00a0statements\u00a0have\u00a0targeted\u00a0Japan\u2019s\u00a0acquisition\u00a0of\u00a0counter-strike\u00a0capabilities,\u00a0testing\u00a0of\u00a0a\u00a0US-made\u00a0Tomahawk\u00a0cruise\u00a0missile,\u00a0rising\u00a0defence\u00a0spending\u00a0and\u00a0Tokyo\u2019s\u00a0annual\u00a0defence\u00a0white\u00a0paper. \u00a0 The\u00a0latest\u00a0broadside\u00a0came\u00a0on\u00a0Friday,\u00a0when\u00a0North\u00a0Korea\u00a0criticised\u00a0annual\u00a0US-Korean\u00a0Ulchi\u00a0Freedom\u00a0Shield\u00a0military\u00a0drills\u00a0and\u00a0accused\u00a0US-Korean-Japan\u00a0military\u00a0co-operation\u00a0of\u00a0evolving\u00a0into\u00a0a\u00a0\u201cnuclear\u00a0alliance\u201d.\u00a0Washington\u00a0and\u00a0Seoul\u00a0say\u00a0the\u00a0drills\u00a0are\u00a0defensive. \u00a0 Analysts\u00a0say\u00a0Japan\u00a0is\u00a0only\u00a0part\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0story. \u00a0 Park\u00a0Won-gon,\u00a0a\u00a0professor\u00a0at\u00a0Seoul\u2019s\u00a0Ewha\u00a0Womans\u00a0University,\u00a0said\u00a0the\u00a0primary\u00a0goal\u00a0is\u00a0to\u00a0frame\u00a0Northeast\u00a0Asia\u00a0as\u00a0a\u00a0contest\u00a0between\u00a0rival\u00a0camps. \u00a0 \u201cThe\u00a0biggest\u00a0objective\u00a0is\u00a0to\u00a0create\u00a0a\u00a0US-Korea-Japan\u00a0versus\u00a0North\u00a0Korea-China-Russia\u00a0framework,\u201d\u00a0Park\u00a0said. \u00a0 The\u00a0expert\u00a0said\u00a0that\u00a0Pyongyang\u00a0wants\u00a0stronger\u00a0backing\u00a0from\u00a0Beijing\u00a0and\u00a0Moscow\u00a0to\u00a0cement\u00a0its\u00a0escape\u00a0from\u00a0diplomatic\u00a0isolation\u00a0and\u00a0to\u00a0bolster\u00a0arguments\u00a0that\u00a0its\u00a0nuclear\u00a0arsenal\u00a0is\u00a0necessary. \u00a0 The\u00a0heightened\u00a0rhetoric\u00a0has\u00a0coincided\u00a0with\u00a0unusual\u00a0silence\u00a0on\u00a0North\u00a0Korea\u2019s\u00a0recent\u00a0missile\u00a0launches,\u00a0which\u00a0were\u00a0condemned\u00a0by\u00a0the\u00a0Republic\u00a0of\u00a0Korea,\u00a0Japan\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0US. \u00a0…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":121399,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[11609,28922,62975,1378,890,7410,37637,2785,129,1586,5206,62976],"class_list":["post-121398","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-pyongyang","tag-alliance","tag-comment","tag-doha","tag-gulf","tag-japan","tag-missile","tag-northkorea","tag-opinion","tag-pyongyang","tag-qatar","tag-times","tag-viewpoint"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121398","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=121398"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121398\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/121399"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=121398"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=121398"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/korea\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=121398"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}