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Amid Ukraine war Professor Kwak Gil-sup of Kookmin University pointed out that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has virtually affected Pyongyang’s calculus, while the missile launch is mainly part of its five-year defense development plan announced at the eight party congress in January 2021.
Specifically, North Korea capitalized on the timing of the geopolitical crisis to test the Biden administration’s foreign policy bandwidth that is largely occupied by the Russia invasion of Ukraine.
Pyongyang also used it as an opportunity as a show of indirect support to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who faces mounting international isolation and faces off with US President Joe Biden.
“North Korea’s move is to gain strategic advantage from the new Cold War era which brings the dynamics of the triangular coalition to the Korean peninsula and Northeast Asia,” Kwak said, referring to the trilateral cooperation among South Korea, Japan, and the US against the triangle of China, Russia, and North Korea.
“Sunday’s missile test was a step toward implementing its plan to become a powerful nuclear state. But at the same time, North Korea sought to send a stronger political and external message.”
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