Façade for China - DPRK’s missile tests and the Global Pandemic

However, no matter how unfitting this behavior might seem, one needs to take a closer look at the timing of the event. Even though it is not uncommon for North Korea to be conducting missile tests it is doing so during an ongoing pandemic stands out as odd. At a time when a nation should be focused on managing the health crisis, DPRK appears to be busy flexing its ballistic muscle. But is that really the case?

           North Korea has been infamous for its isolation and its authoritarian regime. Hence, it is not surprising that the country will try to cover up any piece of information that might raise questions on its administration. However, this does not mean that the government can't divert the attention of the public from the main issues. So by conducting missile tests now, is it trying to create a diversion? Or is it attempting to cover up something even more sinister?

           On 2nd March, North Korea conducted its first missile testing of 2020. Two Short Range Ballistic Missiles (SRBM) - KN-25 were fired into the Sea of Japan from the Saugum-ri facility. These were closely followed by another set of tests, conducted on the 8th of March. As per reports, three or five KN-25 missiles were launched. But the KN-25’s could have been mistaken for MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket Systems) as well. Different sources are disputed over the number and nature of these tests. The location too seems ambiguous, even though it is said to be somewhere near the Sandok airport. The testings’ were resumed again on 20th of March, whilst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Similar to the previous tests, the details of the 20th March tests are also shrouded in mystery. On 28th March, another test was orchestrated. These tests were supposedly carried out along the coastline of Wonsan, near the Hodo peninsula. It is speculated that there were slight modifications made in the KN-25’s technology and were launched subsequently.

           While North Korea experienced one of its busiest months, experimenting with its defence equipment and missile batteries, a more serious problem troubled its neighbours, particularly China. Until 2nd March, the coronavirus pandemic had infected 90,443 and claimed the lives of 3,117 people in China alone. This all began in November when the first suspected case of the virus was brought into notice. By 31st December, 2019, China informed WHO (World Health Organization) about an unusual pneumonia that was spreading rapidly within its borders. On 7th January, 2020, WHO made an announcement regarding the identification of a new virus, 2019-nCoV. By the end of the month, a pandemic was declared. On 13th January, a case of infection was reported in Thailand, the first outside China. Since then, the number of cases worldwide surged at an alarming rate. The month of February, too came with no respite, as countries like Iran, Spain, Italy and even China experienced mounting death counts each day.

Amidst the chaos, a political spat arose between the United States and China, in mid march. Where China was accused of negligence and it was asserted that the coronavirus was a bioweapon. Whilst battling such claims from its rival, on 18^th March, China for the first time reported no new domestic cases of the infection. March 20^th, was the second consecutive day when China came up with similar results. It is interesting to note how the North Korean missile tests and China's increasing notoriety with regards to the pandemic, coincide with each other. Even though North Korea is excessively criticised for conducting missile tests during the pandemic by South Korea but China never made any comment regarding the matter. North Korea and China describe their relationship to be ‘as close as lips and teeth’. Given such strong ties between the two, it is very likely that North Korea is attempting to divert the world’s attention from China. With regards to human rights violations too, both the nations share a similar track record. 

As of last week of March 2020 , multiple media sources have reported that China's mobile carriers have lost around 21 million subscribers, during the duration of the pandemic. It is vital for every person living in China to own a cell phone, as most of the amenities provided by the government can be availed through the device. This includes, even accessing health facilities. Hence this sudden fall in the number of subscribers is questionable. While some theorize that this could be due to the migrant population switching off their subscriptions, this occurs to be extremely improbable. China had imposed strict travel restrictions, and similar to most countries had locked down its borders. The mobile device is a necessity during a lockdown and therefore a dip in the level of subscribers hint towards something baleful. This suspicion, clubbed with China's sudden halt to its previously plummeting coronavirus infections, could be signaling in the direction of yet another human rights violation. According to the South Korean press, Kim Jong-un is said to have executed citizens who have failed to obey the quarantine regulations. Even though this cannot be credible piece of information (due to the relations between North and South Korea), the possibility of such an occurrence cannot be denied either. 

The missile testing conducted by North Korea during a global crisis could mean that the nation is subtly trying to make a statement, even if it is not acting as a scapegoat for its closest ally China. Hence it is crucial to take a look at the current domestic situation of the nation. North Korea has constantly asserted that it does not have any major coronavirus cases. This statement made by the nation, has been questioned by multiple sources as it sounds like an unlikely claim. As per the NK News agency, there have been five deaths due to the virus. However, the government has not confirmed this news. WHO too has made a statement that there is no indication of any such cases in the country. This too is highly debatable, as the figures presented by WHO was provided by the North Korean government.

This does not change the fact that North Korea could be dealing with a problem, greater than what it admits to at this moment. There have been 200 reported cases from the Chinese provinces that border North Korea. There are obvious indications of people crossing the border illegally, and could be possible carriers of the disease. Experts speculate that if North Korea is dealing with the adversity, then it could have disastrous repercussions on the nation. The country suffers from poor medical facilities and food shortages. While having such primary concerns at hand, the decision to conduct military exercises seems out of place. But so do some of its other decisions.

During the first week of March, along with its ongoing military expeditions, North Korea allegedly sent a letter of condolence to the president of South Korea. The letter contained good wishes for its neighbour and hope that they would overcome the coronavirus outbreak soon. Meanwhile North Korea has denied aid from the United States  to control the pandemic but has accepted Chinese exports of medical supplies worth 50 million dollars as of early 2020. The question arises that, if the nation is not dealing with a serious health crisis, then why would it accept exports from China? The act of conducting missile testings’, and sending out letters to neighbouring countries is clearly an attempt by North Korea to cover up its own blunders. Due to its secretive nature regarding its domestic policies, the suspicion that something sinister is going on behind the borders can very likely be true.

North Korea had taken a hiatus from its military tests during its talks with the United States regarding denuclearisation in 2019. With the end of the year, the discussions too came to a close as no decisive agreement was reached. On 3rd December, 2019, the vice foreign minister of North Korea, Ri Thae Song, made a statement, informing the US to be ready for a ‘Christmas Gift’ by the end of the year. It was speculated that North Korea was talking about ICBM (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile), the one which it had tested in 2017. This put US security forces on high alert, but no such ‘present’ arrived. Keeping in mind China's close association with North Korea, the current pandemic could have been the gift that DPRK spoke about. However, due to lack of evidence and the clandestine nature of the working of both of these nations, it is difficult to investigate the real reasons. The question regarding the timing of North Korea's missile testing still stands and it is seen as diversionary tactics in favour of China. North Korea is the only country that has failed to produce sufficient data regarding the pandemic. Its sources seem to be unreliable and every claim made by the nation is met with suspicion. Yet, the story behind the missile tests is still met with doubtful answers. 

(Pic courtesy-https://vietnamtimes.org.vn/)