North Korea launches ballistic missiles in response to Maduro's arrest
In a significant escalation with profound political and military implications, North Korea launched what are suspected to be ballistic missiles for the first time this year, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. This notable military action comes just one day after the United States announced a military operation that resulted in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, linking the two events within a single geopolitical context that reflects Pyongyang's concerns about US actions.
Launch details and missile capabilities
South Korea's Defense Ministry reported that its military detected several projectiles, believed to be ballistic missiles, launched from the vicinity of Pyongyang toward the East Sea (Sea of Japan) at approximately 7:50 a.m. local time on Sunday. This initial data suggests that the North Korean regime continues to develop its missile program despite international sanctions.
For its part, the Japanese Ministry of Defense confirmed the detection of the missiles, providing precise technical details: two missiles flew to an altitude of 50 kilometers, with one traveling 900 kilometers and the other 950 kilometers before landing outside Japan's exclusive economic zone. Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi swiftly condemned the launch, describing North Korea's development of nuclear weapons and missiles as "a threat to peace and stability in Japan and the international community, which is absolutely unacceptable.".
Political messages behind the military curtain
Observers believe the timing of this launch is not coincidental, but rather a direct reaction to developments in Latin America. In this context, Hong Min, an analyst at the Korea Institute for National Unification, stated that this escalation “likely reflects the immense pressure Pyongyang is feeling due to the situation in Venezuela.” The North Korean leadership has historically feared Washington’s “regime change” policies and views its missile and nuclear arsenal as an “insurance policy” against any similar US action to what happened with Maduro.
The analyst added that Pyongyang's implicit message is that "attacking North Korea will not be as easy as striking Venezuela," given the Asian nation's deterrent capabilities. This view was reinforced by Lee Il-kyu, a former political advisor at the North Korean embassy in Cuba, who expressed hope that his country would learn lessons from recent US actions.
Regional context and diplomatic moves
This missile test gains added significance as it preceded by only a few hours a scheduled visit by South Korean President Lee Jae-myung to China for a summit with his counterpart Xi Jinping. China is North Korea's largest economic and political ally, and Pyongyang often uses such tests to strengthen its negotiating position or to pressure Beijing and Seoul not to disregard its interests in any regional security arrangements.
These developments come at a time of heightened military activity by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. He recently visited factories producing tactical guided weapons and nuclear-powered submarines, ordering a 250 percent increase in production capacity. Experts suggest that the purpose of these tests extends beyond political messaging, encompassing technical objectives such as improving targeting accuracy and testing new weapons that may be intended for export to strategic allies like Russia, further complicating the global security landscape.
