North Korea was suspected of firing a ballistic missile off its east coast on Wednesday, January 5, 2021. The ballistic missile firing came hours before South Korean President Moon Jae-in attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the railway line.
When laying the groundwork, Moon Jae-in hoped that this would reconnect the divided Korean peninsula.
The ballistic missile launch underscores North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's New Year's pledge to support the military in the face of the currently unstable international situation, amid stalled talks with South Korea and the US.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korean ballistic missiles were allegedly fired at around 08:10 (2310 GMT) from an inland location, on the east coast and into the sea.
Hours after the shooting, the South Korean president visited the South Korean east coast city of Goseong, near the border with North Korea. South Korea's president laid the groundwork for a new railway line which he called a "stepping stone for regional peace and balance" on the Korean Peninsula.
In his remarks at the ceremony, the South Korean president acknowledged the ballistic missile launch raised concerns of tensions and rifts in inter-Korean relations. The South Korean president then called for North Korea to make genuine efforts for dialogue.
"We must not give up hope for continued dialogue to address this situation on a fundamental basis," he said.
"If the two Koreas work together and build trust, then peace will be achieved one day," he continued.
However, it is clear that North Korea's launch of a nuclear-armed ballistic missile highlighted Moon Jae-in's efforts to reconnect the two Koreas by rail that began in 2018.
However, those efforts were fruitless as talks aimed at convincing North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons in exchange for easing international sanctions stalled in 2019.
South Korea's National Security Council also held an emergency meeting, expressing concern about North Korea's missile launch.
"It is done at a time when internal and external stability is very important," he said.
On the other hand, Japan's defense minister said the suspected ballistic missile had flown about 500 km (310 miles).
"Since last year, North Korea has repeatedly launched missiles, which is very regrettable," Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters.
A UN Security Council resolution prohibits all ballistic and nuclear missile tests by North Korea and has imposed sanctions on the program.
In a state media summary of a speech Kim Jong Un gave ahead of the New Year, the North Korean leader did not specifically mention missiles or nuclear weapons, but said that national defense should be supported.
South Korean military officials say for several weeks North Korean soldiers have been carrying out winter drills. North Korea's recent missile tests have often featured multiple launches.
In a report last month, the US government's Congressional Research Service concluded North Korea was continuing to advance its nuclear weapons and missile programs despite UN Security Council sanctions and diplomatic efforts.
Recent ballistic missile tests and military parades show that North Korea is continuing to build a nuclear warfare capability designed to evade regional ballistic missile defenses.
Just hours after North Korea's launch, Japan announced its foreign and defense ministers would hold talks with their US counterparts on Friday to discuss security issues.
The White House, Pentagon and US State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Wednesday's launch.
At a regular press briefing on Monday, State Department spokesman Ned Price reiterated the U.S. desire for dialogue with North Korea. He said Washington has no hostile intentions towards North Korea and is ready to meet without preconditions.
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