North Korea does have a habit of timing it's provocations to political events, and as you mentioned, they did fire a short range ballistic missile. The launch on Sunday the first since the shooting of its single day record of eight at the start of June. Joining US as John huskevitt S, Bloomberg East Asia Government Editor tell us, I guess the significance of this, John Well, I think that we're in North Korea signally that it's going to be returning to provocations. They've been on a bit of a
hiatus for a few months. They battled flooding typhoons, and they're looking to it looks like they're looking to resume tests of missiles. They could be preparing for a test of a submarine launched ballistic missile. There's some satellite images that show activity near submarine center and for months North Korea has been preparing it's a nuclear test site. The US, Japan, South Korea all say that they see a nuclear test in the works, and we could be seeing that coming
soon as soon as well as well. And is what's happening in Russia? The war in Ukraine? Is that providing somewhat of an opening here for Pyongyang to to ramp up it's testing very much though, UM the the with the U S attention occupied with Russia's war in Ukraine North Korea season opening, and they also have some cover at the U N Security Council, which would be responsible for hitting North Korea with sanctions for additional testing, whether
it's ballistic missiles or nuclear weapons. UM In may Russia and China sider with North Korea when it came to a vote on sanctions, and if there was another test coming, we probably wouldn't see either North Korea or Russia joining the US. In UH joining the US and imposing greater sanctions in North Korea. They could use their veto power to keep the pressure on Kim Jong relatively light as the Russia is battling the US in terms of politics with the war in Ukraine. Yeah, so always the threat
of more sanctions. What though, has been the initial reaction that we've seen from the US and the Indo Pacific Command. The end of Pacific Command has given a statement which is very similar to the statements is given for all of North Korea's missile tests over the past few years. They say that it's um it's it clear. They say that it's a great concern and it has a destabilizing impact on the region. Um. This is the type of response have been given that they've given for a number
of the tests. But this test also comes as the US aircraft carrier, the Ronald Reagan Group is in the South Korean port of Poussan for drills center likely to start in a few days. UM. It will be the first time this carrier group has had drules in five years. With South Korea and North Korea really bristles at these joint military activities for years. They've called him a prelude to an innovasion in nuclear war, and they like to show their dissatisfaction with what's going on. So this also
may be a factor for the missile launch over the weekend. Yeah, in deed, and I guess we have to wonder what is next because Yon Hop the South Korea news agency reporting that South Korea's military has spotted some activities in terms of some submarine launched missiles too. Yeah, those would be a little bit of an escalation of what has
been going on. So will was launched over the weekend was a short range ballistic missile, the sub rein launched ballistic missiles UM are two stage missiles for the most part, so they have a greater range than North Korea has various types of missiles, but the ones that they're looking to test and they've shown a military rage is something called the pool guok Song. This is UM, a two
stage rocket. It's designed to be deployed quickly. It can be shot off of the submarine, it can be shot from land, and the range is long enough to hit Japan and also perhaps US military basis in Guam. Alright, and more gio political tensions ahead, John, Thank you. John Hosgwitz is Bloomberg East Asia Government editor with us from Tokyo.