At the beginning of 2024, the situation on the Korean Peninsula has become quite tense.
North Korea successfully tested a medium- and long-range solid-fuel ballistic missile on January 14, a move that drew a solemn warning from South Korea.
South Korea's Ministry of National Defense said it was a clear provocation and stressed that if North Korea launched a direct provocation against South Korea, South Korea would respond overwhelmingly in accordance with the principle of "immediate, strong, and countermeasures to the end."
In addition, North Korea fired more than 200 coastal artillery shots on January 5 near Yeonpyeong Island and Baeknyeong Island off the west coast of South Korea, leading South Korea to issue an emergency evacuation order.
Although the shelling did not cause direct damage to the South Korean team and residents, the action was seen as raising tensions on the peninsula.
While North Korea is conducting these military operations, South Korea and the United States are also conducting military exercises.
For example, on January 4, South Korea's Ministry of National Defense announced the end of a seven-day joint South Korea-U.S. New Year's Eve exercise in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, near the military demarcation line between the two Koreas.
South Korea has also carried out a number of military activities, including large-scale artillery strikes and maneuvering exercises with mechanized troops.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently said South Korea is North Korea's "main enemy" and suggested that peaceful reunification of the Korean Peninsula is no longer possible. This statement further exacerbated tensions between the two countries.
Overall, North Korea's recent missile tests and military operations, as well as South Korea's response, have increased tensions on the Korean Peninsula to some extent.