Is a major conflict imminent? North Korea issues orders to prepare for firing.

Recently, the General Staff Department of the Korean People's Army issued a shooting readiness order to frontline troops, instructing frontline artillery units and key firepower units to be prepared to launch comprehensive strikes at any time.

Does this move signal the imminent outbreak of a large-scale conflict?

The current tension is indeed the most severe in recent years.

The escalation of the situation seems to be related to a recent incident where a South Korean drone entered Pyongyang. Additionally, South Korea has approved the Japanese Self-Defense Forces' entry under specific circumstances.

These actions clearly touch on North Korea's core interests and bottom lines.

Previously, North Korea had already announced a complete severance of railway and road connections with South Korea, causing inter-Korean relations to plunge to a historical low, almost reaching the worst stage since the end of World War II.

China naturally does not want the Korean Peninsula to fall into the flames of war again.

If the situation further deteriorates, not only will both North and South Korea be affected, but China and the United States will also be directly drawn into it.

Thus, at this point, China can only hope that North Korea's military actions are intended to create pressure, rather than being a prelude to actual warfare.

However, if South Korea continues to provoke North Korea under the current circumstances, the situation could rapidly worsen, reaching a point of no return.

In terms of military strength, North Korea surpasses South Korea in certain areas. Although its air force is relatively weak, North Korea possesses supersonic missiles and long-range rockets.

North Korea's 600-mm caliber rockets have a range of at least 400 kilometers. Apart from China's PHL-16 rocket system, North Korea's KN-25 system is nearly unrivaled.

Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, is less than 300 kilometers from Seoul, South Korea, meaning that North Korea can easily use artillery to launch large-scale attacks on Seoul.

In missile technology, North Korea has spent over 30 years rising swiftly to become one of the world's leading missile technology powers, boasting a formidable strategic missile force.

According to Japanese military analysts, North Korea is one of the few countries capable of independently developing a variety of short- and medium-range missiles and also possesses the ability to manufacture nuclear warheads.

Globally, only the United States, Russia, and China have similar or greater capabilities.

In 2023, North Korea successfully test-fired the hypersonic missile "Hwasong-16B."

Although this missile is somewhat different from China's DF-17, it combines the warhead design of the DF-17 with the missile body design of the DF-26 anti-ship missile.

The Hwasong-16B has a flight range of 1,000 kilometers, a maximum altitude of 101 kilometers, and can fly at speeds of Mach 12 in the upper atmosphere. Its range is sufficient to cover U.S. military bases in Guam.

If a conflict breaks out between North and South Korea, South Korea would almost be powerless to resist North Korea's rocket and missile offensives.

Since Yoon Suk-yeol took office, inter-Korean relations have gradually deteriorated, with South Korea frequently cooperating with the United States in military provocations against North Korea.

In 2023, South Korea and the United States agreed to upgrade "extended deterrence," strengthening the deployment of U.S. strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula and surrounding areas, and establishing a nuclear consultation group mechanism to increase joint military exercises.

South Korea even resumed the deployment of the THAAD system and plans to introduce the "Typhoon" defense system, actions that have intensified North Korea's response.

Despite the current tension, North Korea's military preparations are more likely intended to exert pressure, with the possibility of actual conflict remaining low.

Even if conflict does break out, China has already prepared for such a scenario.

In 2023, China's People's Liberation Army completed upgrades to the short-range ballistic missiles deployed along the China-North Korea border, and the DF-17 missiles have also been deployed in border areas.

If the situation on the Korean Peninsula worsens and threatens China, China can use the DF-17 missiles to carry out precision strikes on U.S.-South Korean defense facilities, especially U.S. military bases in South Korea.

The global situation is currently in a period of turbulence, with the old international order gradually disintegrating and a new structure yet to fully emerge.

Before major powers directly intervene, the situation is likely to remain turbulent for some time.