North Korea fired seven missiles off its east coast on July 4, further escalating tension on the Korean Peninsula. Two days earlier, on July 2, the North fired four short-range missiles from the launch site in Sinsang-ri, South Hamgyeong Province. According to South Korea’s Defense Ministry, Saturday’s test-firing took place in the missile base of Gitdaeryeong near the eastern coastal city of Wonsan. Starting with the firing of two missiles at 8 o’clock in the morning, a total of seven missiles were launched by 5:40 p.m. The Defense Ministry says the missiles apparently fell into waters that the North had previously warned ships to steer clear from. Dr. Jeon Seong-hun from the Korea Institute for National Unification notes that North Korea has significantly improved the accuracy of its missiles.

North Korea fired short-range Scuds and intermediate-range Rodong missiles. Scud missiles have a range of 300 to 500 kilometers, while Rodong missiles can fly over 1,000 kilometers. Five of seven missiles North Korea fired landed within the same area after traveling 420 kilometers, indicating the accuracy of North Korean missiles has improved considerably. By repeating its missiles launches every year, North Korea has apparently improved its missiles functions.

North Korea fired short-range Scuds and intermediate-range Rodong missiles. Scud missiles have a range of 300 to 500 kilometers, while Rodong missiles can fly over 1,000 kilometers. Five of seven missiles North Korea fired landed within the same area after traveling 420 kilometers, indicating the accuracy of North Korean missiles has improved considerably. By repeating its missiles launches every year, North Korea has apparently improved its missiles functions.

North Korea has demonstrated that its missiles are capable of hitting a target area precisely after traveling hundreds of kilometers. In other words, if it wants to, North Korea can attack any region in South Korea with missiles. So the latest missile test is aimed more at South Korea than at the United States. North Korea can pose a serious threat to the South with its Scud missiles alone. But the North test-fired intermediate-range Rodong missiles as well, which could potentially reach parts of Japan, in order to show its ability to attack South Korea with Rodong missiles by deliberately shortening their flight distance.

North Korea fired Scuds and Rodong missiles together on July 5th, 2006. But this year, unlike three years ago, the North didn’t launch a long-range missile. The U.S. and other countries had suspected that North Korea would fire an intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, around July 4th this year, but, so far, no signs of such a missile launch have been detected. Experts hold various views on what that means. Some say North Korea’s ICBM has technical problems, while others speculate that the communist nation will use an ICBM launch as its last negotiation card. It’s not clear exactly what other provocative measures North Korea may take down the road.

There’s always the possibility that North Korea may launch a long-range missile. The North could even conduct another nuclear test, following its two previous such experiments. The second nuclear test was considered more successful than the first one, but the North needs to carry out additional tests in order to make a more precise nuclear warhead with a higher confidence level. Speaking of the situation inside the Korean Peninsula, the North could make an armed provocation at any time near inter-Korean border areas, such as the Northern Limit Line on the West Sea and the Demilitarized Zone. Domestically, North Korea is in the middle of a “150-day battle” aimed at improving its economy. The nation could possibly take a variety of military actions before October 10, the foundation day of the communist party. Commemorating the anniversary is a very important political event in the North. Also, Pyongyang may take additional aggressive measures, depending on how extensively the U.N. Security Council enforces sanctions against the North.

The international community is moving fast amid the mounting tension triggered by North Korea’s missile firings. Early on Tuesday morning, the U.N. Security Council issued a statement indicating that the missile launches are a serious threat to international society, calling on North Korea to fully implement the U.N. resolution. North Korea’s provocation received a cold response from the U.S. administration, too. In an interview with ABC-TV on July 5th, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden called North Korea’s missiles launches attention-seeking behavior, stressing that he wanted to refrain from giving North Korea the attention it wants. He also said the U.S. would rather focus on moving forward with the policy of further isolating Pyongyang and added that North Korea is being forced to make some very difficult decisions. Meanwhile, South Korea and Japan held a meeting of chief negotiators to the six-party nuclear talks on July 6th and shared the view that the missile launches are a clear violation of the U.N. Security Council resolution and that North Korea should refrain from taking any further provocative actions. South Korea’s top nuclear envoy, Wi Sung-lac, is scheduled to meet for much-anticipated talks with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei next week. Dr. Jeon explains.

The international community is moving fast amid the mounting tension triggered by North Korea’s missile firings. Early on Tuesday morning, the U.N. Security Council issued a statement indicating that the missile launches are a serious threat to international society, calling on North Korea to fully implement the U.N. resolution. North Korea’s provocation received a cold response from the U.S. administration, too. In an interview with ABC-TV on July 5th, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden called North Korea’s missiles launches attention-seeking behavior, stressing that he wanted to refrain from giving North Korea the attention it wants. He also said the U.S. would rather focus on moving forward with the policy of further isolating Pyongyang and added that North Korea is being forced to make some very difficult decisions. Meanwhile, South Korea and Japan held a meeting of chief negotiators to the six-party nuclear talks on July 6th and shared the view that the missile launches are a clear violation of the U.N. Security Council resolution and that North Korea should refrain from taking any further provocative actions. South Korea’s top nuclear envoy, Wi Sung-lac, is scheduled to meet for much-anticipated talks with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei next week. Dr. Jeon explains.

It’s crucial for the international community, including the participating nations of the six-party nuclear talks, to come up with pragmatic ways to settle the situation through dialogue, and not resort to hard-line, punitive measures against the North, which typically prove ineffective. The U.S. has yet to finalize its North Korea policy. Under these circumstances, Seoul’s diplomatic role is becoming increasingly important.


[Interview] Summer Camp Program for N. Korean Defector Students
The classroom of the Education Center for Unification, located in Suyu-dong, northern Seoul, is full of laughter. Young students are answering the instructor’s questions and paying close attention to his lecture. This is part of a summer camp program called, “Leadership Camp for North Korean Defector College Students.” Fifteen male and female college students were selected to participate in this annual camp program, which is now in its fifth year. Here’s Kim Mi-ri, a secretary of the Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights, which organized the program.

The camp program was held at the Education Center for Unification from June 25th to the 27th. But that wasn’t the end of the program. In Gangneung, Gangwon Province, the participants also took part in another training session designed to provide useful tips about starting businesses, including what to choose as a promising business item and how to write a report or a proposal. Actually, the defector students find it difficult to perform this job. In this “Leadership Camp” program, we help the students better understand South Korean society and let them indirectly experience the process of becoming leaders of society. We help them realize what they lack, compared to their South Korean counterparts, and what they need to do. We also encourage them to express themselves as confident leaders.

It is estimated that there are 600 North Korean defector college students in South Korea. But it’s hard to calculate an exact figure, since some of them stay out of school temporarily or quit school. The government and private groups have few support programs aimed at helping them pursue their academic career or enter society, aside from some scholarship programs. Even if the young North Koreans manage to enter a college to start a new life here in South Korea, many of them just quit school due to a variety of problems that arise, from unfamiliar school environment to interpersonal struggles. According to Ms. Kim, some of those who come to South Korea on their own give up their studies because they can’t concentrate on school work, always feeling guilty about leaving their family members in North Korea. This camp program is focused on presenting a desirable school life to the young newcomers and helping them design their own lives in South Korea. Celebrities and experts from various areas, including politics and economics, join the program to share their experiences and challenges with the students. The young North Koreans regard them as role models who can show them how to overcome hardships in life.

Most instructors have succeeded in their respective fields, while some others are still struggling to achieve something in the face of many difficulties. Looking at various types of people, the North Korean students are encouraged to find role models and emulate them. On the first day, former Environment Minister Yun Yeo-jun lectured on the requirements for a leader in the 21st century. Also, instructors specializing in leadership training from a local institute of Dale Carnegie Training taught the participants about South Korean society in general. Lecturers also included professors from the Education Center for Unification. Through continuous contact with the students, these people can provide them with useful information and even serve as their mentors. We’re organizing the program in this direction.

In addition, the program offered pragmatic, experience-based programs in which the students wrote résumés and conducted mock interviews. Three days were too few for them to understand South Korean society and nurture leadership skills. But the camp program was a valuable experience for the college students, since they were able to open their sheltered minds and discover new possibilities. Meanwhile, South Koreans should remember that it is their task to create appropriate social and cultural environments for the newcomers so South and North Korean people can live together in harmony. Here’s hoping that the young students will grow up to become competent leaders who advance Korea’s unification.