North Korea: resumption of missile tests ten days before the presidential election
North Korea resumed its ballistic missile tests this Sunday, February 27, the 8th time since the beginning of the year that the Kim regime has carried out a ballistic missile test, an unprecedented rate since the end of the negotiations with the Trump administration in 2017. (Illustrative image) AFP - JUNG YEON-JE
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2 mins
North Korea resumed its ballistic missile tests on Sunday after a short break during the Winter Olympics which were taking place in neighboring and main ally China.
This is the 8th time since the beginning of the year that the Kim regime has carried out a ballistic missile test and it comes as South Koreans are due to elect their President of the Republic in ten days.
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With our correspondent in Seoul
,
Nicolas Rocca
While all eyes are on the war in Ukraine, North Korea decided on Sunday to announce its return to business with what appears to be a medium-range ballistic missile test.
After observing a kind of Olympic truce during the Winter Games in Beijing so as not to spoil the sports festival of the
Chinese ally
, North Korea resumes these tests at a crucial moment.
In addition to the Ukrainian crisis which occupies world diplomacy, the South Korean neighbor must choose its next President of the Republic on March 9.
►
To read: North Korea: Kim Jong-un, ten years of unchallenged reign
Different visions of inter-Korean relations
In ten days, Moon Jae-in's successor will be appointed, and the two favorites are far from sharing the same vision of inter-Korean relations.
The candidate of the current Democratic majority, Lee Jae-myung, claims to be a supporter of dialogue and a peaceful solution, in particular by continuing to have good relations with China, Pyongyang's main partner.
On the conservative side, Yoon Seok-yeol pleads for "
preventive strikes
" on North Korea, in the event of imminent danger.
But it aims above all to get closer to Washington and to strengthen the THAAD missile defense system, installed in 2017 despite the anger of Beijing.
Whatever vision prevails on March 9, the message from Pyongyang is clear: the next president will have to quickly take an interest in the North Korean dossier.
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To read: North Korea would have launched its most powerful missile since 2017
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North Korea
Defense
Kim Jong Un