Communist Beijing China controls North Korea.  The DPRK is used by China, specifically the Old Communist Guard in Beijing, as a sword and shield against U.S. economic allies, interests and relationships in SE Asia.
The U.S. launches Section 301 trade investigations into China. The U.S. gives ownership of Afghanistan extremism to Pakistan, a Chinese strategic partner. The U.S. sanctions Venezuela, another strategic partner for China. Outcome = China is under pressure.

North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un does what Beijing tells him to do; that truth is how we can predict events like this missile launch.

SEOUL, Aug. 26 (Yonhap) — North Korea launched what seems to be short-range missiles into the East Sea on Saturday morning, according to South Korea’s military.
The North fired several “unidentified projectiles” from the vicinity Gitdaeryong in Gangwon Province at around 6:49 a.m., said the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). (link)


These responses from Beijing are predictable.  The day after US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer began the official section 301 trade investigation of China for intellectual property theft we predicted China would respond in either of two ways:

A.) by authorizing Kim Jong-un to carry out more missile tests; or

B.) by publicly calling for renewed six party talks.

 

In the days between the 301 trade launch and the DPRK missile launch, President Trump put additional pressure on China via expectations of Pakistan and today sanctions against Venezuela. Both Pakistan and Venezuela rely on Chinese money; the pressure is mounting on Beijing; the communist old guard don’t handle pressure well. Ergo, they fall back on what is familiar to them; they chose the missile launch.

The first missile was launched at 6:19 a.m. local time on Saturday from the Kittaeryong Missile Test Site near Wonsan in the southeastern province of Gangwon, according to U.S. Pacific Command. A second missile was launched at 6:37 a.m. and a third at 7:49 a.m.
An initial assessment from the U.S. said the first and third missiles failed in flight, while the second missile appears to have blown up almost immediately. “We are working with our Interagency partners on a more detailed assessment and we will provide a public update if warranted,” the U.S. said.

At least one of the missiles traveled a distance of about 250 kilometers (155 miles) before falling into waters of the Sea of Japan, according to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency. None of the missiles targeted the U.S. territory of Guam, which North Korea had threatened in recent weeks. (more)



 

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