Mike Norris, Co-Editor, The American Dossier
On Thursday, North Korea (“DPRK”) fired two short-range ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan. The missiles were launched from mobile platforms at a site near Wonsan on DPRK's coast.
The first missile flew approximately 265 miles, indicating that it was a KN-23 Short Range Ballistic Missile (“SRBM”), first tested in May 2019.
The second missile flew 428 miles. A South Korean defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, was quoted as saying that the second missile appeared to be of a new design.
Weapons experts say that the missiles are DPRK variants of the SS-26 Iskander, a mobile SRBM made by the Russian Federation. The Iskander is designed to fly at an altitude of around 25 miles and make in-flight guidance adjustments.
The Iskander’s capabilities allow it to exploit weaknesses of both Patriot missile batteries and the THAAD anti-missile defense system. Because of its solid fuel engine, the Iskander is quick to launch and hard to destroy on the ground.
After watching the launches, DPRK Chairman Kim Jong Un was quoted by the state run Korean Central News Agency (“KCNA”) as saying that the possession of "such a state-of-the-art weaponry system" is of "huge eventful significance" in bolstering his country's armed forces and guaranteeing national security.
The launches serve as a clear warning of Kim's frustration with the US. While the DPRK has launched missiles before, Thursday's launch was the first since President Trump met Kim at the Demilitarized Zone (“DMZ”) in June.
During the meeting, the two leaders agreed to restart the de-nuclearization process, but no high-level meetings have taken place since. Most recently, DPRK foreign minister Ri Yong Ho pulled out of a trip to Bangkok where he was expected to meet Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at a Southeast Asian security forum.
On Friday, KCNA reported that the DPRK fired its "new tactical guided weapon" as a "solemn warning" to "South Korean military warmongers," in response to the July 20 announcement that the US and South Korea will conduct joint military exercises next month.
Although the US and South Korea regularly conduct joint military drills, a number of exercises were suspended or scaled back, as part of an effort to ease tensions with the DPRK. KCNA called the upcoming drills a "rehearsal of war" and a violation of the agreement President Trump made with Kim during last year’s Singapore leaders’ summit.
The KCNA also announced that the DPRK may lift its 20-month suspension of nuclear and long-range missile tests in response to the drills.
In a statement, DPRK’s Foreign Ministry stated: "Our discontinuation of the nuclear and ICBM tests and the US suspension of joint military exercises are, to all its intents and purposes, commitments made to improve bilateral relations. They are not a legal document inscribed on a paper."
South Korea announced that the DPRK was protesting the drills by refusing to accept 50,000 tons of rice, offered through the United Nation’s World Food Program.
The DPRK is also infuriated over South Korea's purchase of 40 F-35 stealth fighters. The first two arrived in March and two more will be delivered in coming weeks.
The DPRK said it would develop and test "special weapons" to destroy the aircraft.
On Monday, KCNA released photographs of Kim at the Sinpo Shipyard inspecting a new diesel-electric ballistic-missile submarine. Based on the photographs, the submarine is a clone of the Russian Romeo-class submarine.
The Soviet Union first introduced the Romeo class in the 1950’s. It subsequently shared the design with China, who began producing local variants known as the Type 033. In the 1970’s, the DPRK subsequently received a number of Chinese-built Type 033s, as well as kits to construct their own variants.
Satellite images revealed that the DPRK has also built a new training center for submarine operators near the shipyard holding the submarine.
The DPRK has developed a solid-fuel submarine-launched ballistic missile (“SLBM”) that could potentially carry a nuclear warhead, known as the Pukkuksong-1, but is reportedly in the process of developing a new SLBM, known as the Pukkuksong-3.
Pukkuksong-1 has an estimated range of around 745 miles, while Pukkuksong-2 may be able to strike targets at least 1,240 miles away, putting all of South Korea and Japan well within range of a submarine armed with either of those weapons.
Although there were no details released, Kim was quoted as expressing "great satisfaction over the fact that the submarine was designed and built to be capable of fully implementing the military strategic intention" of the DPRK.
After serving as an Airborne Infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division, Mike attended Florida State University, where he received his Bachelors Degree in Political Science and George Washington University, where he received his Masters in Political Management.
Since 2004, Mike has worked in the Florida Senate, where he was one of only two Chief’s of Staff under 30 and in the Michigan Senate, where he served as the Legislative Aide to the Assistant Minority Floor Leader. The 2018 election cycle was Mike’s eighth as a Political Consultant.
Mike previously served as the Secretary and Vice President of the Tampa Bay Young Republicans, Regional Vice Chair for the Florida Federated Young Republicans and attended the 2012 Republican National Convention as an Alternate Delegate. He currently lives in Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan, with his rescue Pit Bull, Ike.
Comments