On Sunday (March 19), North Korea launched another short-range ballistic missile into the eastern seas. It is reported that this is the fourth time that North Korea has launched a missile since the United States and South Korea launched a large-scale joint exercise on Monday (13th). At the same time, North Korea's official media "Rodong Shimbun" revealed that in response to large-scale joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea, the North Korean military and people shared the same hatred, and as many as 800,000 North Koreans voluntarily joined the army or asked to join the army again in one day, vowing to fight the United States, "completely destroy" the enemy, and unify the Korean Peninsula.
North Korea has already conducted a series of missile tests, including a long-range ballistic missile launched by the leaders of South Korea and Japan during their meeting in Tokyo on Thursday, and two cruise missiles and two short-range ballistic missiles launched from a submarine a few days earlier.
In a statement issued at 11:20 a.m. local time, Japan Coast Guard said the missile launched on Sunday appeared to have landed. In the meantime, all vessels are still warned to await further information, as well as warnings not to approach falling objects and to report any suspicious situations.
The South Korean Joint Staff Headquarters also confirmed on the same day that at about 11:05 a.m. that day, a short-range ballistic missile was observed in the Dongcangli area of North Pyongan Province, North Korea. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said the military has stepped up surveillance and vigilance to prepare for more launches "while maintaining full combat readiness through close cooperation with the United States."
It is worth mentioning that North Korea's successive missile tests coincided with the joint military exercises held by the United States and South Korea in the spring, the largest military exercise held by the two allies in five years. Before the 11-day Freedom Shield exercise, North Korea vowed to "fight back most harshly against the most vicious plots of the United States and its followers."
The day before Sunday's ballistic missile launch, North Korea said about 800,000 North Korean citizens had voluntarily joined or re-enlisted to fight the United States. Meanwhile, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un accused the United States and South Korea of military drills for escalating tensions.
Meanwhile, the U.S. and South Korea will get closer, with U.S. President Joe Biden scheduled to host Yoon and his wife at the White House next month, in addition to joint military exercises and this week's meeting between South Korean President Yoon Seok-yue and Japanese leader Fumio Kishida.
Biden and Yoon Seok-yue's wife
It is reported that the visit, which will take place on April 26, is the second time in Biden's presidency that he has received South Korean leader Yoon Seok-yue and his wife, and to emphasize the close relationship between the United States and South Korea, and Yoon and his government have made strengthening the U.S.-ROK alliance a key foreign policy priority, even at the expense of selling South Korean sovereignty to make peace with Japan on historical issues.