| NORTH KOREA'S LONGEST TEST YET: Right on cue, North Korea tested a new intercontinental ballistic missile, which appeared to be a new solid-fuel missile capable of reaching the continental United States. South Korean intelligence had predicted Kim Jong Un would do something provocative before next week's election. "I believe there is a high chance that they would want to exaggerate their existence around the season of U.S. presidential election before and after the election," South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun said yesterday during a visit to the Pentagon, just hours before the launch. "The expected courses of action that North Korea could take in their attempt to provoke could be either their launch of ICBM or their seventh nuclear tests." The missile launched shortly after 7 a.m. Pyongyang time and flew for almost an hour and a half. It reached an altitude of over 4,300 miles before falling into the sea, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. It's the first North Korean missile test in almost a year and their longest flight on record. "The test-fire is an appropriate military action that fully meets the purpose of informing the rivals, who have intentionally escalated the regional situation and posed a threat to the security of our Republic recently, of our counteraction will," Kim said in a statement reported by the government-controlled Korean Central News Agency. "The security situation of our state and ever-aggravating prospective threats and challenges require us to continue to bolster up our modern strategic attack forces and more perfectly round off our nuclear forces' response posture," the statement continued. "I affirm that the DPRK will never change its line of bolstering up its nuclear forces." AMERICA'S PRO FORMA CONDEMNATION: The test prompted the White House to issue its standard "strong condemnation" of the North Korean ICBM test, calling it "a flagrant violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions." "While U.S. INDOPACOM has assessed it did not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel, or territory, or to our allies, this launch needlessly raises tensions and risks destabilizing the security situation in the region," said NSC Spokesperson Sean Savett, spokesman for the National Security Council said in a statement released this morning. "It only demonstrates that the DPRK continues to prioritize its unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs over the well-being of its people." In response to the threat from North Korea's growing arsenal of nuclear-capable missiles, the U.S. and South Korea have resumed the large-scale defensive exercises that were curtailed during the Trump administration and tailored them to encompass a nuclear scenario. "The ROK and the United States will continue to further enhance the alliances' capabilities and posture in a response to the nuclear and missile threats through implementing combined exercises to reflect the North Korean nuclear threats," South Korean Defense Minister Kim said after meeting with Austin. "The nuclear and missile threat from North Korea is now an existential threat, not only to the ROK [South Korea] but also to the Indo-Pacific region," he said through an interpreter. KIM JONG UN WANTS RUSSIAN KNOW-HOW: With North Korea intent on — in Kim Jong Un's words — "bolstering up its nuclear forces," the U.S. and South Korea are eyeing warily the new military alliance between Pyongyang and Moscow. The big question looming over Kim's dispatch of 10,000 troops to support Russia's war against Ukraine is, what is North Korea expecting in return? "There is a high possibility that North Korea, in exchange for their troops' deployment, would ask for cutting-edge technology," said Minister Kim at yesterday's press briefing. "North Korea is very likely to ask for technology transfers in diverse areas, including the technologies relating to tactical nuclear weapons, technologies related to their advancement of ICBM, also those regarding reconnaissance satellite and those regarding SSBMs as well." North Korea has been providing thousands of artillery shells and scores of ballistic missiles to Russia, apparently doing the same thing the U.S is doing, sending older munitions that have been sitting in stockpiles for years, with plans to replace them — in North Korea's case with Russia's help — with newer, better versions. "There is also a high chance that they will try to replace their equipment," Kim said. "One thing to consider is that, as we have witnessed in the Russia-Ukraine war, the conventional weapon capabilities of Russia is not as formidable as we expected it to be." CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Good Thursday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre's Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Christopher Tremoglie. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn't work, shoot us an email and we'll add you to our list. And be sure to follow me on Threads and/or on X @jamiejmcintyre. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OR READ BACK ISSUES OF DAILY ON DEFENSE HAPPENING TODAY: Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are hosting South Korean Foreign Affairs Minister Cho Tae-yul and South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun at the State Department today for the annual U.S.-Republic of Korea Foreign and Defense Ministerial meeting, known as the "U.S.-ROK, Two-Plus-Two." The meeting is intended as a forum to discuss ways to tackle shared security challenges and expand our U.S.-South Korean cooperation throughout the Indo-Pacific region. However, this year's session has taken on new urgency with North Korea's entry into the war in Ukraine. "I can guarantee you that this development will be a significant topic of discussion in those meetings," spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters at the State Department yesterday. The four ministers are scheduled to hold a joint press conference at 1:30 p.m. at the State Department. NORTH KOREAN TROOPS BEING GIVEN RUSSIAN UNIFORMS AND EQUIPMENT, AUSTIN SAYS ZELENSKY FUMING ABOUT TOMAHAWK LEAK: It seems that with each passing day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is losing faith in his partners, particularly the United States, as he sees his chances for some kind of victory slipping away. At a meeting with reporters from northern European countries yesterday, Zelensky held court, speaking in English and venting about all the West seems to worry about is "escalation," while Ukrainians continue to die and Russian missiles and glide bombs level cities. "When I ask them in the victory plan to give me the package of long-distance weapons, and we will use it only if Russia will not stop the war and will not stop continuing escalation … they said to me, 'this is escalation,'" Zelensky said. "Some leaders said, 'You want too much.' Too much for what? We want to live. Is it too much just to live?" Zelensky was particularly irked that his request for U.S. Tomahawk cruise missiles, contained in the secret annex of his "Victory Plan," was apparently leaked to the New York Times, which reported yesterday that the Biden administration dismissed the idea out of hand as "a totally unfeasible request." "I said this is a prevention method. They said to me this is escalation," Zelensky was told when his request for Tomahawks was turned down. The GPS-guided cruise missiles have a range of 1,500 miles, more than seven times the range of ATACMS, that Ukraine has been provided but prohibited from using against targets deep in Russia. "It was confidential information between Ukraine and White House," Zelensky vented. "How to understand these messages? So it means, between partners, there's no confidential things." Zelensky also complained that Ukraine has received only 10% of the aid package Congress approved earlier this year. "It's not funny, but it's, you know, bureaucracy and logistics." CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER THE RUNDOWN: Washington Examiner: North Korean troops being given Russian uniforms and equipment, Austin says Washington Examiner: US forces kill more than 35 ISIS terrorists in Syrian airstrikes Washington Examiner: Ukrainian Nobel peace laureate says bombing Russia is the only way to survive Washington Examiner: Hezbollah's new chief says 'war plan' won't change as Israel confirms it killed deputy commander Washington Examiner: Michelle Steel urges US to focus on North Korea abuses ahead of UN council Washington Examiner: Tom Rogan Opinion: Stop pretending Trump will send journalists to gulag New York Times: Elon Musk's SpaceX, Already a Leader in Satellites, Gets Into the Spy Game AP: Prosecutors Seek a 17-Year Prison Term for Pentagon Secrets Leaker Jack Teixeira New York Times: Ukrainians Tell of Brutal Russian Repression in Occupied Territories Washington Post: Russian drones hunt civilians in streets of southern Ukrainian city New York Times: Israel Widens Hezbollah Strikes, Hitting Lebanese Cities Beyond Border Area AP: A Lebanese family planning for a daughter's wedding is killed in an Israeli strike on their home AP: Locked in Mideast wars and battered by sanctions, Iran is wary over US presidential election Washington Times: Global military threats to U.S. are increasingly linked, Adm. Sam Paparo says Breaking Defense: UK Pledges Additional $3.8 Billion on Defense Spending, Stops Short of 2.5 Percent GDP Timeline Air & Space Forces Magazine: 10,000 More Recruits in 18 Months: How Easing Rules Made the Difference Task & Purpose: DOD Program Makes It Easier to Enlist with ADHD, Asthma, Other Medical Conditions Air & Space Forces Magazine: US Conducts Airstrikes Against ISIS in Syria as Militants Attempt Comeback Defense News: Leaders Wrestle with a Potent Mix: AI and Weapons of Mass Destruction Defense One: Who Tells Satellites Where to Take Pictures? Increasingly, It'll Be Robots, Maxar Says Air & Space Forces Magazine: Bipartisan Buy-In Could Help New Defense Industrial Base Plan Survive Election Breaking Defense: Air Force's New Cloud-Based Cyber Defense System to Protect 'Soft Underbelly' of Cyber Ops Networks DefenseScoop: US, South Korea Move to Enhance Their Militaries' Technology Partnerships SpaceNews: Lockheed Martin Completes Acquisition of Smallsat Manufacturer Terran Orbital Air & Space Forces Magazine: Space Force Wants Your Help Naming All Its Satellites THE CALENDAR: THURSDAY | OCTOBER 31 12 p.m. 1957 E St. NW — George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs discussion: "What Drives the Sino-Russian Partnership Regime Insecurity, Aggressive Overreach, and the Alignment between Moscow and Beijing,' with Aleksandar Matovski, assistant professor at the Naval Postgraduate School https://calendar.gwu.edu/event/what-drives-the-sino-russian-partnership 1 p.m. — Washington Post Live virtual discussion: "Lawmakers on Bipartisan Effort to Safeguard the 2024 Presidential Election," with Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE); and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) https://www.washingtonpost.com/washington-post-live 1 p.m. 37th and O Sts. NW — American Institute for Contemporary German Studies discussion: "German and U.S. Relations with Israel amid Escalating Conflict in the Middle East," with Christoph Heusgen, chairman, Munich Security Conference; and Aaron David Miller, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace senior fellow https://americangerman.institute/events/2024/10/german-and-u-s-relations-with-israel 3 p.m. 1789 Massachusetts Ave. NW — American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research discussion with Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin; and Kori Schake, AEI director of foreign and defense policy studies https://www.aei.org/events/a-fireside-chat-with-the-chief-of-staff FRIDAY | NOVEMBER 1 7 p.m. 800 21st St. NW — Politics and Prose Bookstore book discussion: War, with author Bob Woodward, Washington Post associate editor | | | | "Some leaders said 'you want too much.' Too much for what? We want to live. Is it too much just to live?" | | Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking to reporters Wednesday, expressing frustration that his allies and partners won't give him the long-range weapons he needs to defeat Russia. |
|
| | 
Comments
Post a Comment