Insights

North Korea threaten weekly, monthly and yearly missile tests

Amid growing tensions on the Korean Peninsula, North Korea has threatened to launch weekly missiles tests after the US Vice President wared the country that the ‘era of patience’ with Kim Jong-un had come to an end. The statement resulted in North Korea stating that they would conduct more missile tests on a weekly, monthly and yearly basis and that ‘all-out-war’ was a real possibility is the US took any military action against the state.

There is also evidence to suggest that North Korea has been secretly training elite special forces troops to kidnap Westerners from South Korea and to hold them hostage in the event of any conflict with the United States. One defector reported that if the United States attacks the North, snatch squads armed with deadly nerve agents are poised to slip past South Korean border checkpoints to grab diplomats, tourists and foreign businessmen.

It is advisable to be aware of increasing tensions with North Korea.  Screens have been set up in key areas in Japan and South Korea to deter satellite surveillance. South Korea has said that they would quadruple the reward they will pay for North Korean defectors who will share information which will help enhance security.