North Korea's latest test firing of missiles comes just a day after it announced it will hold the highly-anticipated working-level talks with the U.S. this weekend.
Experts have cited various reasons for the launch,... which include Pyeongyang's attempt to gain leverage before talks resume.
Lee Ji-won has more.
Just hours after announcing its plans to hold working-level talks with the U.S., North Korea fired yet another round of missiles on Wednesday.
North Korea expert Park Won-gon, professor at Handong Global University, says the move could be part of Pyeongyang's efforts to maximize pressure on the U.S. ahead of the talks.
"I think the North is betting very big on the upcoming working-level talks. Firing what are seen as submarine-launched missiles is the strongest card the North has within the boundaries. It's just below intercontinental ballistic missile and nuclear tests, which President Trump set as red lines. Thus, the move is seen as a warning to the U.S. that it had better bring 'new calculations' about what it seeks."
North Korea had numerous times urged the U.S. to bring 'new calculations' into the nuclear negotiations,... which many experts see as meaning step-by-step denuclearization with corresponding measures including sanctions relief and a security guarantee.
The Washington Post also cited a nuclear expert to say the move is seen as an attempt to raise Pyeongyang's bargaining power.
But it added that it is also a protest against South Korea's first-ever public showcase of its F-35A stealth fighter jets at its 71st Armed Forces Day just the day before.
The North is believed to see the fighter jet as one of Seoul's most threatening weapons,... for its accuracy and stealth technology.
Though Professor Park thinks the North's state-run media will blame the fighter jets for its test-firing,... he says the message is ultimately for the U.S.
"The North is likely to slam South Korea and the F-35A fighter jet to justify its missile launch. But if it really wanted to target the South, it would have fired other short ranged missiles instead. This comes as the North cannot explicitly target its words at the U.S., as it would lead to more opposition against the regime within Washington, and lessen Trump's ability to reach a deal."
Now while not much is known about the upcoming working-level talks, Seoul's foreign minister Kang Kyung-wha expects the security guarantee to be discussed later this week.
Speaking at the parliamentary audit on Wednesday, she said the gist of the talks would be how flexible the two sides are in narrowing their differences.
Lee Ji-won, Arirang News.
