Page 56 - Trilateral Korea Japan U.S. Cooperation

Blinken, to cooperate in supporting “peace and stability in the
Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.”

North Korea also keeps Japan off-balance; periodic North
Korean missile launches towards, and sometimes over,
Japan ensure a sizeable portion of Japan’s already limited
military power is directed towards North Korea. Tokyo, like
Washington, is thus unable to concentrate the full weight of
its forces against the Chinese threat that it faces near Japan’s
southernmost islands and maritime territory, as well as
dangers posed by Chinese moves in the South China Sea and
around Taiwan.

A powerfully armed North Korea adds to the distraction. As
a result, Beijing welcomes a well-armed North Korea with
the ability to directly attack South Korea, Japan, and the
United States. North Korean nuclear weapons and missile
technologies were all developed with Chinese assistance.
Their capabilities have improved to the point they are a huge
concern for the United States, South Korea, and Japan.

Ten years ago, North Korea’s conventional military was
considered antiquated and its nuclear and missile capabilities
were thought primitive and not much to worry about. Not so
anymore.

Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons have been miniaturized to fit
on missile warheads. And North Korea’s missile technologies
– particularly missile range and accuracy and mobility, and
even undersea launch capabilities—are gradually improving.
All in all, this is just an engineering problem and future

Chapter Three : Beijing Prefers an Aggressive and Provocative North Korea 55