Washington Post – North Korea launched two short-range missiles Thursday in its second such test in under a week, part of a calibrated escalation of pressure on Washington that coincided almost exactly with a U.S. test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.
Kim Jong Un has been ratcheting up North Korea’s military displays with rocket and missile tests — each a bit more provocative than the last — following the breakdown of his summit with President Trump in Hanoi in February.
North Korea’s possible endgame remains difficult to decipher. Since Hanoi, there has been little apparent movement to restart talks on a potential deal to dismantle the North’s nuclear program in exchange for international development opportunities and the lifting of international sanctions.
But South Korean President Moon Jae-in said it seems Kim is “deeply discontented” by the unraveling of the Hanoi summit without a deal.
