Kim vows to boost North Korea’s nuclear capability after observing new ICBM launch
NBCJul 09, 2023
The Facts
South Korea and Japan have said that North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea off its east coast on Monday following the arrival of nuclear-powered US submarines in South Korea.
The missile launches came as South Korea and the US have expanded their military readiness against North Korea's weapons program, with the US deploying two nuclear submarines in South Korea — the USS Kentucky and USS Annapolis, each arriving days apart.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The deployment of a nuclear submarine in the Korean theater is part of the "Washington Declaration," which aims to deter the North from attacking its neighbors. Over the last several months, there's been increased anxiety over Pyongyang's ballistic missile tests, and, as a result, the US and South Korea have taken measures to deter further acts of aggression. The US and South Korea must do whatever they can to ensure regional stability.
Establishment-critical narrative
There's widespread criticism of the US deployment of a nuclear submarine in South Korea. The deployment threatens to make the region more dangerous, as it provides a means for the US to retaliate against the North if it launches a nuclear attack on the South. It would do no good for either country to strike back against the other as this would only result in an escalation. The deployments are a senseless provocation.
