NEW DELHI: North Korea launched an unidentified ballistic missile towards the East Sea, also referred to as the Sea of Japan, according to South Korea‘s military on Thursday, reported AFP.
According to the Japanese coast guard, the projectile has plunged into the sea.
This launch follows a recent unsuccessful attempt by Pyongyang to deploy a spy satellite.
The joint chiefs of staff of South Korea did not disclose additional information in their statement. Japan’s coastguard and prime minister’s office reported that North Korea had launched a suspected ballistic missile and were in the process of gathering further details.
On Monday, North Korea acknowledged that its most recent effort to place a spy satellite into orbit had resulted in a mid-air explosion, following criticism from Seoul and Tokyo regarding the planned launch. NHK, a Japanese broadcaster, aired footage of what seemed to be a flaming projectile in the night sky over northeast China at the time of the attempted launch, which then burst into a fireball.
Deploying a reconnaissance satellite into orbit has been a top priority for Kim Jong Un’s regime for a long time. In November, North Korea claimed to have achieved this goal after two unsuccessful attempts the previous year.
The Korean Peninsula has witnessed a surge in tensions over the past few months, fueled by a tit-for-tat escalation of military activities. North Korea has accelerated its weapons testing program, while South Korea has responded by intensifying its joint military exercises with the United States and Japan.
According to the Japanese coast guard, the projectile has plunged into the sea.
This launch follows a recent unsuccessful attempt by Pyongyang to deploy a spy satellite.
The joint chiefs of staff of South Korea did not disclose additional information in their statement. Japan’s coastguard and prime minister’s office reported that North Korea had launched a suspected ballistic missile and were in the process of gathering further details.
On Monday, North Korea acknowledged that its most recent effort to place a spy satellite into orbit had resulted in a mid-air explosion, following criticism from Seoul and Tokyo regarding the planned launch. NHK, a Japanese broadcaster, aired footage of what seemed to be a flaming projectile in the night sky over northeast China at the time of the attempted launch, which then burst into a fireball.
Deploying a reconnaissance satellite into orbit has been a top priority for Kim Jong Un’s regime for a long time. In November, North Korea claimed to have achieved this goal after two unsuccessful attempts the previous year.
The Korean Peninsula has witnessed a surge in tensions over the past few months, fueled by a tit-for-tat escalation of military activities. North Korea has accelerated its weapons testing program, while South Korea has responded by intensifying its joint military exercises with the United States and Japan.