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Experts Left to Decipher Kim Jong Un's Latest Letter to South Korea

Kelly Kasulis

   SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - North Korea is sending mixed messages to South
   Korea in the age of the coronavirus: Earlier this week, Pyongyang
   conducted its first short-range ballistic missile test in more than
   three months, then broke its hostile silence by sending well-wishes to
   the South Korean president.

   North Korean leader Kim Jong Un penned a letter to South Korean
   President Moon Jae-in Wednesday, expressing concern for Moon's health
   and wishing him luck in battling the nationwide COVID-19 outbreak.
   South Korea has at least 6,284 confirmed cases of the virus as of
   midafternoon March 6, and 42 deaths. Meanwhile, North Korea claims to
   have zero cases.

   Pyongyang's latest mixed signals are perplexing for North Korea
   analysts, who can only guess why Kim Jong Un would both conduct hostile
   launches and send warm regards in a matter of days.

   "It's strange behavior. I mean, it's weird, and I just can't fully
   explain it," said Peter Ward, a researcher on the North Korean economy
   and writer for NK News. "The missile test is probably a signal of
   displeasure on the alliance front with the U.S., and the letter to Moon
   is more about setting corona-related mood music. But I'm not entirely
   sure what's going on -- it doesn't really make sense to me."

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