North Korea fired off three short-range rockets into waters off the country's east coast on August 14, suggesting a connection to either Pope Francis' visit or upcoming U.S.-South Korean military events, NPR reported on August 13.
The missiles were fired from Pyongyang in North Korea less than an hour before the pope arrived in Seoul, with two others following a short time later. During the pope's speech, he said that peace required forgiveness and mutual respect. Diplomacy must be encouraged so that dialogue will replace fruitless criticisms and violence.
Francis plans to beatify 124 Korean martyrs and encourage a local church seen as a model for the future of Catholicism, as opposed to other countries in Asia and Latin America. In speeches during a mass in Seoul's primary church on Monday, the pope is continuing to push for peace in the peninsula, The Guardian reported.
Human rights advocates have stated that North Korea doesn't accept western religions and the regime has imprisoned one American, a Christian missionary, NPR reported. Kenneth Bae, 45, has been held for more than a year and has asked the United States government to secure his release.
North Korea has conducted an overly large number of short-range missile and artillery test shootings this year. Pyongyang has expressed anger over yearly drills by the U.S. and South Korea. Another round of drills, which Seoul and Washington have said are common and defensive, are expected to begin in the next few days, The Guardian reported.
Pyongyang is under strict United Nations and U.S. rules related to its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Short-range rockets do not go against the ban, but the city has recently changed its propaganda style to include photographs of leader Kim Jong Un personally supervising the launches, according to Reuters.
