North Korea Launches Ballistic Missile After Seoul Demands Apology
Seoul announced on Saturday that Pyongyang had launched a ballistic missile, days after Pyongyang demanded an apology for an explosion it was accused of carrying out, which injured three South Korean soldiers in the demilitarized zone.
Pyongyang denied responsibility for a landmine explosion last month that injured three South Korean soldiers inside the demilitarized zone, a mined buffer area separating the two Koreas since the 1953 armistice agreement.
South Korea described the incident on Friday as “despicable.”
The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Command in Seoul said that early on Saturday, “our military detected the launch of a ballistic missile from Wonsan in North Korea toward the East Sea,” using the Korean name for the Sea of Japan.
He added that “South Korea, the United States, and Japan maintain a strong defensive posture through close information sharing regarding North Korean ballistic missiles,” noting that the missile traveled more than 700 kilometers.
Seoul and the United Nations Command concluded that the explosion last month inside the demilitarized zone was caused by North Korean mines planted on the southern side of the border.
The North Korean military has been planting mines and building anti-tank barriers along the border as part of efforts to permanently seal it off, following Kim Jong Un’s designation of South Korea as the “main enemy” of the country in 2024.
According to South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul, the mines that caused the explosion injuring three soldiers were likely planted as part of border fortification efforts by Pyongyang.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, known for his peaceful stance, urged Pyongyang on Thursday to return to dialogue, despite his military’s demand for an apology from North Korea the previous day.
Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, responded on Friday by describing Seoul as “extremely despicable” and again denying that Pyongyang was behind the explosion. She mocked Lee’s call for dialogue, calling it “the pinnacle of farce that everyone should watch,” and insisted that the military’s demand for an apology from her country was “absurd.”
Kim warned that Pyongyang was “ready for anything” Seoul might do in response to the landmine explosion, remarks made the day after North Korea launched a ballistic missile.
Analysts said the latest ballistic missile launch would be seen as a show of force in response to diplomatic efforts by the South Korean government, and to demonstrate a genuine refusal to engage in dialogue.
Yang Moo-jin, former president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, told Agence France-Presse, “Seoul called for de-escalation, but Pyongyang responded by escalating tensions.”
He believed that “the message is that North Korea is seeking… confrontation in response to goodwill.”
For his part, South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul said on Tuesday that the military has “a range of necessary measures at our disposal, and we will implement them in stages” in response to the demilitarized zone incident, without providing further details.
South Korean Minister of Unification Chung Dong-young also proposed on Friday holding talks to address issues along the border with Pyongyang.
However, Kim Yo-jong rejected Chung’s proposal for talks, dismissing it as “a wild dream and one-sided talk.”
This escalation comes amid concerns that the rapprochement recently displayed by US President Donald Trump toward Pyongyang could marginalize Seoul, Washington’s ally, in any nuclear talks involving North Korea.
Meanwhile, the opposition People Power Party in South Korea accused President Yoon Suk Yeol on Friday of failing to criticize Pyongyang when such criticism was warranted. The party said in a statement, “South Korean soldiers were injured, and instead of receiving an apology, we were mocked by North Korea.” It added, “We do not see how selectively turning a blind eye to North Korea serves the dignity of South Korea or the safety of its people.”
