Tensions on the Korean Peninsula
The Korean Peninsula has become tense since the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) announced the imminent launch of a long-range rocket carrying earth-observation satellite.
With international efforts to resume six-party nuclear talks stalled, the latest development adds more ill will to the already strained relations between the two Koreas and Washington.
On December 5, a Republic of Korean (RoK) government official said the DPRK has completed the assembly of all three stages of the rocket on its launch pad and is preparing for fueling before launch from the Dongchang-ri base in the country's northwest.
The Pyongyang news agency KCNA said earlier that the DPRK would launch a long-range rocket carrying a satellite between December 10 and 22 to commemorate the first anniversary of Kim Jong-Il’s death.
Pyongyang has notified the International Maritime Organization that the first stage of the rocket should fall at a spot between the Korean peninsula and China, and the second stage at a spot off the eastern coast of the Philippines. It insists this is a peaceful satellite for scientific purposes under its plan to build a strong and prosperous nation.
The DPRK’s announcement triggered strong protests from the international community, as did its previous launch in April. The US and the RoK say it’s a disguised ballistic missile test which is prohibited by UN resolutions. Washington has said any satellite launch by Pyongyang is a grave provocation and a head-on challenge to the international community. The RoK has threatened to take the DPRK to the UN Security Council and advocate new sanctions.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called on Pyongyang to reconsider its decision and halt activities relating to the ballistic program. General Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency Yukiya Amano said Pyongyang’s plan would have a negative impact on international efforts to create a nuclear-free Korean peninsula.
China, an ally of the DPRK, also applied diplomatic pressure, with spokesman Hong Lei urging Pyongyang to act prudently and not to conduct activities to raise regional tension.
Japan, the RoK, and the US have all mobilized their advanced weapons. Seoul on December 5 deployed an early warning radar system. It is considering deploying its Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-2) system in case Pyongyang’s rocket goes in the wrong direction.
Meanwhile, Japan has transported a Patriot anti-aircraft and antimissile system to its Okinawa base and will also deploy several destroyers with the Aegis antimissile system to monitor the rocket in the skies of eastern China, Japan, and the Yellow Sea. The Japanese Defense Minister has ordered Japan’s Self-Defense Force to destroy the satellite if it crosses its skies. The US, Japan, and the RoK have worked closely on a plan to monitor and respond to any incident.
There has been no signal that Pyongyang will abandon its launch. Analysts say that in the context of Japan and the RoK preparing for presidential elections, and US President Barack Obama starting a second term, Pyongyang’s move could further damage relations with its neighbors. Two rocket launches in a short period reflect a failed diplomatic effort to denuclearize the Korean peninsula.