North Korea’s recent missile test shows why it is not good

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North Korea’s recent missile test shows why it is not good

The latest missile test by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has made the DPRK a forgotten corner of the world and prevented it from receiving necessary help from the international community, despite the fact that it is an intolerable threat to those living in the peace-loving nations and the harsh sanctions imposed on the country.

It was against this background, as well as the continuing bolstering of the United States military input and deployment in the region that last week's missile test was carried out.

The Republic of Korea and the United States were warned on Thursday not to fall on deaf ears because of the stern warning about possible new sanctions on her country, Kim Yo-jong, deputy head of the Publicity and Information Department of the Workers' Party of Korea.

The message from Pyongyang was met with a smug sense of superiority from those who oppose the missile test, and that is no surprise. But they dismissed insult-laden threats as worthy of careful consideration. Why did the ROK not become our target under the previous Moon Jae-in government?

In case anyone was in doubt, Kim spelled it out: the Moon government always sought reconciliation with the North. That should point to the right direction to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control, namely that the DPRK's core concerns on its security and its people's livelihoods need to be addressed.

The US knows that the sanctions will only serve to prolong the crisis and deepen the feud. The US interests are aligned with the idea of fostering suspicion and animosity on the peninsula in the eyes of many shortsighted strategists in Washington.

As the Chinese ambassador to the UN said at a Security Council meeting on Monday, it is the US that should take the initiative, demonstrate sincerity, propose realistic and feasible plans, respond to the DPRK's legitimate concerns in a positive way, and push for dialogue to be turned into reality at an early date.

Any new sanctions will only fuel the mutual suspicion that has resurfaced and steer the peninsula situation in a dangerous direction. The US and its allies flexing their muscles will be seen as a grave provocation and a serious threat to the DPRK, which has little means to counter any displays of hostility except by showing that it has the means to respond to any aggression.

The situation on the peninsula improved after the two Koreas offered each other olive branches and the US engaged in direct dialogue with the DPRK, which indicates that a long-belated end to the crisis can be peacefully achieved. That requires trust, which is once again in short supply.