North Korea's latest belligerence is aimed at next U.S. president

Kim Jong Un hopes to keep South Korea away from any negotiations with Washington

Left: Ukraine has released a video purportedly showing North Korean soldiers at a military facility in Russia; North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, right, inspects a missile launch site at an undisclosed location within North Korea. (Source photos by KCNA/Kyodo)

HIROSHI MINEGISHI, Nikkei senior staff writer

November 6, 2024 14:07 JST

TOKYO -- North Korea carried out yet another belligerent act by launching an intercontinental ballistic missile on Oct. 31, which flew higher and farther than any missile the country had previously tested. This was followed by the launch of several short-range missiles on Tuesday.

Pyongyang's latest provocations come with its troop deployment to the Russia-Ukraine war causing international concern. A close look at the situation reveals some clues about what leader Kim Jong Un might be trying to achieve by sending troops into the Ukraine war and firing missiles into the sea.