Frank Smith
Press TV, Seoul
North Korea launched two cruise missiles into nearby ocean waters early Wednesday morning, according to South Korean military officials. The missile shots follow South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s offer of substantial aid with one condition Pyongyang must give up its nuclear weapons program.
Some South Koreans view the previous summits between progressive former President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as empty shows for the cameras. For North Korea, the offer of aid from the conservative new President Yoon suffers from questionable timing.
The US and South Korea have been engaging in frequent small scale drills since South Korean President Yoon took office. The Joint US-South Korea military exercises are scheduled to begin on August 22nd and will be the largest in about 4 years. Pyongyang views the drills as a rehearsal for invasion. This years maneuvers will include an amphibious landing.
The upcoming drills will also involve a US aircraft carrier strike group and strategic weapons. The South’s Yoon also said he hoped to strengthen the US extended deterrence commitment to defend South Korea with nuclear weapons.
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