North Korea has fired a long-range nuclear-capable missile toward the sea near the capital Pyongyang, the South Korean military said. Meanwhile, the totalitarian state’s Defense Department accuses “rogues” in the US and South Korea of reckless military action.
The launch of the suspected intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was registered on Monday morning, the General Staff in Seoul said. Japan has confirmed this and can reach anywhere in Japan or the US with a range of more than 15,000 kilometers, Japanese Vice Defense Minister Shingo Miyake said on Monday.
The rocket was in the air for about 73 minutes. The missile was fired near the capital Pyongyang toward the sea off North Korea’s east coast, South Korea’s chiefs of general staff said. The US State Department condemned the missile launch and called on the government in Pyongyang to return to diplomacy and dialogue.
Outrage over the arrival of a nuclear submarine
According to South Korea, North Korea only tested a short-range missile late on Sunday evening, which crashed into the sea about 570 kilometers off the east coast. Just minutes after the launch, the Defense Ministry in Pyongyang accused “rogues” in the US and South Korea of reckless military action. The arrival of the USS Missouri nuclear submarine in South Korea is the latest act of evidence that the US is considering nuclear war, according to a ministry statement carried by state news agency KCNA.
UN resolutions ban the self-proclaimed nuclear power from launching or even testing ballistic missiles from any range. Depending on the design, such missiles can also be equipped with a nuclear warhead.
Sanctions imposed over reconnaissance satellites
The US and its partner countries South Korea, Japan and Australia recently imposed new sanctions on North Korea over the launch of a reconnaissance satellite in November. They accused Pyongyang of using technologies directly related to its intercontinental ballistic missile program. North Korea’s development of ICBMs, whose range exceeds 5,500 kilometers, is primarily aimed at US nuclear power.
Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have worsened significantly. After an unprecedented series of missile tests last year, North Korea has again tested missiles several times this year, including ICBMs and guided missiles.
Source: Krone
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