North Korea Fires Two Projectiles: Korea Times

North Korea fired two projectiles into the East Sea, making that six tests conducted within the last month. Analysts report the characteristics suggest short-range ballistic missiles. The central news agency in North Korea also dismissed calls for dialogue by South Korea President Moon Jae-in’s calls for dialogue. South Korea’s National Security Council convened, and a joint military drill between the United States and South Korea is underway from August 11 to 20. “Kim Hyun-wook, a professor at the Korea National Diplomatic Academy, suggests “Pyongyang no longer sees the value in talking to Seoul as the Moon administration could not get sanctions exemptions from the U.S. and international society to resume inter-Korean economic projects including the Gaeseong Industrial Complex and Mount Geumgang tourism project,” reports Jung Da-min for the Korea Times. The professor suggests that personal diplomacy between the North Korean and US leaders continues due to “motivations for domestic politics” rather than “to make substantial progress in the denuclearization negotiations.” The Trump administration’s focus on preventing intercontinental and nuclear weapons could embolden North Korea to provoke South Korea and Japan. The US has more than 50,000 troops stationed in the two countries. – YaleGlobal