DPRK Missile Test Reaffirm need for Continued Support of NKRs

By Jennifer Zhou, Alexander Eid

Published Sept. 22, 2021

North Korea’s recent announcement of regarding the launch of a set of new long-range cruise missiles over the weekend of September 11th drew attention to the continuing development of its weapons program. According to the DPRK’s official news outlet, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the missiles flew more than 930 miles over two hours before hitting their targets. The KCNA claims that the missiles were a test of a new “railway-borne missile system” designed to be a potential counterstrike to forces threatening the country, calling them “a strategic weapon of great significance.”

This latest test marks a further escalation in hostility between Pyongyang and international powers. In early September, South Korea marched ahead in the arms race between the two countries by becoming the first non-nuclear nation to test a submarine-launched ballistic missile; President Moon was attending that test firing when word came of the North Korean launches. Meanwhile, the DPRK continues to insist that its ongoing weapons program is needed to provide defense against a possible US invasion. 

The international response to the test is still unfolding. South Korea and the US’s Indo-Pacific Command have announced that they will be conducting a detailed cooperative analysis, while Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato called the missiles a "major concern" and said Japan would continue to work closely with its allies to monitor North Korea's military activities. Although the long-range cruise missiles and train-launched ballistic missiles raise serious security concerns, it is important to note that North Korea has refrained from the ultimate provocations – ICBM or nuclear tests.

With the upcoming leadership elections in both South Korea and Japan, the future of North Korean relations in the Indo-Pacific and beyond remains uncertain. Now more than ever, those North Korean Refugees (NKRs) who undertake the dangerous journey across borders, mountains, and seas require unconditional and efficacious support. The Aurora organization pledges today to redouble its efforts in connecting NRKs with education, health care, and legal resources as matters escalate on the Korean peninsula. 

Thumbnail Image: Choe Sang Hun, From the New York Times, North Korea Reports Long-Range Cruise Missile Test as Arms Race Intensifies, accessed 22 Sept 2021