What’s behind North Korea’s latest missile tests?
Pyongyang condemned for launching six rockets in two weeks, raising fears of a nuclear test.
North Korea has dramatically increased the number of its missile tests.
It conducted six in just 12 days, including an intermediate-range ballistic missile that landed off Japan’s eastern coast on Tuesday.
The American, Japanese and South Korean militaries responded with live-fire drills a day later, and the US Department of Defense repositioned an aircraft carrier off the Korean Peninsula.
Pyongyang reacted by launching two more missiles on Thursday, and sending fighter jets near its border with South Korea. The UN says North Korea has carried out about 40 ballistic missile tests this year.
What message is Pyongyang sending, and how should the international community respond?
Presenter: Laura Kyle
Guests:
Uk Yang – Fellow, Asan Institute for Policy Studies
Alastair Morgan – Professor, University of Tokyo and former British ambassador to North Korea
Mark Fitzpatrick – Fellow, International Institute for Strategic Studies and former deputy US assistant secretary of state