[News Today] N.KOREA STEPS UP PROVOCATIONS

[LEAD]
North Korea fired short-range ballistic missiles early yesterday. Last night, the regime escalated its provocations, launching trash balloons once again. What's behind their recent acts? We take a look.

[REPORT]
Multiple North Korean short-range missiles, fired from Kaechon in Pyongannam-do Province at around 6:50 a.m. on Wednesday, were detected by the South Korean military's monitoring equipment.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff in Seoul said that the missiles flew about 400 kilometers and analysis is underway for more details.

The presidential office held a national security meeting and discussed response measures.

The latest missile launch came six days after the previous one was carried out on September 12.

At the time, the regime boasted a super-large multiple rocket launcher capable of hitting multiple targets simultaneously. On Wednesday, it likely re-tested a new strategic ballistic missile, which was fired in July.

North Korea again sent trash-laden balloons toward South Korea Wednesday night. The JCS advised South Koreans to watch out for falling objects in Seoul and the northern part of Gyeonggi-do Province.

After focusing on recovering from flood damage, the North is again stepping up provocations by resuming ballistic missile launches and floating trash balloons across the border this month.

In a state media report on September 13, the regime also revealed for the first time a secretive facility producing highly enriched uranium, which is used for building nuclear warheads.

Analysts say that through these provocations, North Korea apparently attempts to make its presence felt ahead of the U.S. presidential election.

Hong Min/ Korea Institute for Nat’l Unification
It seems that N. Korea is focusing on showing off its ability to produce advanced nuclear missiles, putting them into use in well-calculated political timing.

In Rodong Sinmun on Wednesday, North Korea pledged to have the world's strongest power that cannot be challenged by anyone, saying that America's nuclear threats are getting more explicit.

Pyongyang will likely continue provocations until the U.S. presidential election in November, escalating tensions on and around the Korean Peninsula.