North Korea loses patience as nuclear talks stall with US

Images show North Korea launching an unidentified flying object into the Sea of ​​Japan. Photo: Yonhap

This is the latest in a series of recent military moves by North Korea, showing that the country seems to intend to increase pressure on the US, forcing Washington to show flexibility in nuclear negotiations as well as urging Seoul to have its own opinion. This launch also proves that Pyongyang will not retreat militarily.

But Pyongyang's move appears to be carefully considered and calibrated so as not to provoke Washington to the point of derailing diplomacy, as this would be a blow to North Korea's goal of pushing for international sanctions relief and pushing its economic agenda.

Commenting on this issue, Professor Park Won-gon, an international political scientist at Handong Global University, said: "The latest move seems to be aimed at pressuring the US and expressing anger (with the negotiations currently at a stalemate). North Korea may increase tensions now, but I think the country will return to negotiations (after such a series of military moves)."

The stalled nuclear talks between the US and North Korea have caused significant damage to inter-Korean cooperation projects. Since the second US-North Korea summit in Hanoi, Pyongyang has not responded to Seoul’s call to push ahead with a series of projects under last year’s agreement to ease military tensions and build trust, forcing South Korea to do it alone.

North Korea's anger also stems from its inability to gain full support from its traditional allies, Russia and China./.