Starting
April 1, North Korea has reportedly drawn up a zone in the East Sea that prohibits
airplanes and ships from navigating through.
Although
North Korea recently imposed this no-navigation zone in the area, it is unclear
until when it will remain in effect, according to South Korean military
sources.
The South’s military is said to have
recently spotted signs of the North moving a transporter erector launcher (TEL)
with Rodong missiles attached, causing Seoul to remain vigilant against any
related movements.
Some
speculate that North Korea will stage an armed protest by launching short or
mid-range missiles on the 15th of this month, as it celebrates the Day of the
Sun (Kim Il Sung’s birthday and North Korea’s biggest national holiday) and possibly
in response to a Seoul visit from U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter
scheduled shortly ahead on the 9th.
On
March 2nd, North Korea launched what appeared to be two scud missiles from Nampo
towards the East Sea on the first day of Seoul-Washington military drills known
as Key Resolve. One day before the closing of the joint exercise, on March 12,
it also fired seven surface-to-air missiles from the area of Sondok, North
Hamkyung Province towards the East Sea.
