North Korea continues to conduct missile tests while remaining publicly silent on the issue of an American soldier who fled to the country.

Missile tests: In protest against the docking of a U.S. nuclear-armed submarine in South Korea, North Korea launched several cruise missiles on Saturday, marking the second test this week.
* South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff detected the missile launches around 4 a.m., but no immediate details on the number or distance of the missiles were provided.
* North Korea described the newly developed missiles as “strategic,” hinting at an intent to arm them with nuclear weapons.

American soldier’s status: North Korea has not commented publicly for five days on the fate of the American soldier, Pvt. Travis King, who ran across the heavily fortified Korean border earlier this week.
* The North Korean state media has been silent on the issue, and the U.S. is still awaiting for clarity on King’s whereabouts and condition.

Expert insights: Some experts believe North Korea may utilize the detained soldier for propaganda purposes or as a negotiating piece to gain political and security concessions from Washington.
* Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at South Korea’s Ewha University, cautioned against attributing North Korean missile tests to the negotiation for Pvt. King’s release, despite the coinciding events.

Military tensions: The U.S. and South Korea have responded to North Korea’s aggressive testing, which numbers about 100 missile tests this year, by expanding their combined military activities.
* The allied nations have also begun nuclear contingency planning meetings aimed at easing South Korean public anxiety about North Korea’s expanding nuclear threat.

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