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On the 4th, North Korea demonstrated its military strength, a day ahead of the South Korea-China summit where President Lee Jae-myung met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The missile test, which took place shortly after the Trump administration removed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, has been seen as an indication that North Korea is trying to send a message to the United States by highlighting its nuclear capabilities, contrasting itself with Venezuela by saying, “We are different.”

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reported on the 4th that North Korea fired an unknown ballistic missile toward the East Sea. The JCS said, “Around 7:50 a.m., we identified several launch vehicles, believed to be ballistic missiles, launched from near Pyongyang, North Korea, heading toward the East Sea.”

The JCS stated that the missiles covered a distance of about 900 km before landing in the East Sea. Specific details are still being thoroughly examined. As reported by Kyodo News and other sources, Japan’s Ministry of Defense determined that two ballistic missiles fired by North Korea seem to have landed beyond Japan’s exclusive economic zone, the EEZ.

Experts are closely observing the potential that North Korea carried out a long-range test of the KN-23 series ‘Hwasong-11-Ma’ hypersonic missile.

This launch of a ballistic missile by North Korea is the first one this year, taking place roughly two months following the short-range ballistic missile test on November 7 last year.

The launch of the ballistic missile occurred on the same day that President Lee Jae-myung began a four-day, three-night official trip to China, invited by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The summit between South Korea and China planned for the 5th is anticipated to discuss the matter of North Korea’s denuclearization. The missile test is seen as North Korea demonstrating its power before the meeting.

During the U.S. military action aimed at capturing and relocating Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, some analysts suggest that North Korea’s missile test could also signify resistance against the U.S. The U.S. declared on the 3rd that it removed the anti-American Maduro, the Venezuelan leader, via a military operation.

The U.S. Forces Korea commented on North Korea’s missile test, saying, “This event does not seem to present an immediate danger to U.S. personnel, land, or our allies,” and noted, “The U.S. is strongly dedicated to protecting its own country and the nations in the area that it supports.”