North Korea Launched Ballistic Missile

The South Korean military said a ballistic missile was launched by North Korea on Friday. The missile flew around 800 kilometers before it hit the sea off the east coast of isolated state. The launch was in defiance of the latest sanctions by the United States and the UN.

The Yonhap news agency of South Korea said it may have been a Rodong missile, and marks the first test of the medium-range missile since 2014. The missile has the capability of reaching Japan.

The missile launch comes as tensions on the Korean peninsula increased after a rejection of the sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council by North Korea.

The Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea said the missile was launched north of Pyongyang and traveled across the peninsula into the eastern coast of the north. It was also possible that a second missile was launched from the same area, and the projectile disappeared after reaching an altitude of around 17 kilometers.

While the kind of missile was not confirmed by South Korea, the 800-kilometer range goes beyond the range of most North Korean short-range missiles. The defense ministry of South Korea said the estimated range of the Rodong missile is around 1,300 kilometers.

North Korea Launched Ballistic Missile - image credit: ibtimes.com

The medium-range missile may have been fired from a mobile launcher, according to a US official. The US State Department said it will closely monitor the situation and is urging the North to concentrate on fulfilling its international obligations and commitments.

The missile launch was condemned by Japan, which lodged a protest the embassy of North Korea in Beijing.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Japan is strongly demanding North Korea to restrain itself and will take steps in responding to any situation. Two short-range missiles were fired into the sea by the North last week. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un also ordered more missile and nuclear weapons tests.

The North normally tests its missile when tensions in the peninsula are high or when it is pressured to end its weapons program. The latest sanctions by the US were designed to blacklist individuals and companies dealing with the economy of North Korea.

The annual joint military drills of the United States and South Korea were also condemned by North Korea and called it “nuclear war moves.” The North also threatened to destroy all its enemies. Officials from the US and South Korea discussed the possibility of deploying the Terminal High Altitude Defense system in the South. The Japan also considered deploying the THAAD system to enhance it defense capabilities.

A fourth nuclear test was conducted by North Korea on January 6 and a long-range rocket was launched a month after. The actions of the North defied existing resolutions of the UN Security Council.

Posted by James Fried on Friday March 18 2016, 12:59 AM EDT. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Uncategorized. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0