North Korea's provocation of medium-range missiles from the beginning...Start 'Strategy for the Hardest U.S.?

[Anchor]
North Korea fired a medium-range ballistic missile into the East Sea for the first time this year.

It has resumed provocations for the first time in two months since November last year, and it is notable that it has mobilized intermediate-range ballistic missiles since the start of the provocation.

Reporter Kim Moon-kyung reports.

[Reporter]
One ballistic missile was fired around 12 p.m. in Pyongyang, North Korea.

This missile flew more than 1,100 kilometers and landed on the East Sea, which our military identified as a medium-range ballistic missile.

This is the first missile provocation by North Korea in two months since November last year.

North Korea, which has not shown much movement in the U.S. presidential election and our impeachment, has resumed provocations.

In particular, unlike the provocation by firing coastal artillery into the West Sea buffer zone early last year, this year's use of mid-range ballistic missiles is notable.

This seems to be irrelevant to the results of the plenary session at the end of last year, which predicted a hard-line strategy for the U.S. earlier this year.

[Chosun Central Television (December 30 last year): The strategy to respond to the U.S. with the strongest economy, which will be implemented strongly for the prospective national interest and security of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, has been declared.]

As a result, the level of North Korea's provocations is expected to increase over time.

In particular, this year marks the 80th anniversary of the party's founding, as well as the end of the five-year defense development plan proposed by North Korea in 2021.

As a result, instead of talking with the United States, it is expected that all-out efforts will be made to complete the tasks of nuclear-capable hypersonic missiles, super-large nuclear warheads, and military reconnaissance satellites proposed at the time.

The military said it is closely sharing information on North Korea's ballistic missiles with the U.S. and Japan and maintaining a full readiness posture.

I'm Kim Moon-kyung of YTN.

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