North Korea fires ballistic missile off east coast, says South’s army

North Korea fired a ballistic missile Sunday into waters off its east coast, South Korean and Japanese officers stated.

Seoul,UPDATED: Dec 18, 2022 09:24 IST

North Korea fired a ballistic missile in direction of the ocean off the Korean Peninsula’s east coast on Sunday, South Korea’s army stated. (Reuters photograph)

By Associated Press: North Korea fired a ballistic missile Sunday into waters off its east coast, South Korean and Japanese officers stated.

South Korea’s Joint Chief of Staff stated the launch occurred Sunday morning however gave no additional particulars. The Japanese Prime Minister’s Office additionally confirmed the launch.

Japan’s Coast Guard stated it was knowledgeable by the Defense Ministry that North Korea’s suspected missile landed in waters between Japan and the Korean Peninsula, however didn’t say how shut it was from the Japanese coast.

Japan’s NHK nationwide tv quoted unnamed authorities sources saying the missile landed exterior of Japan’s unique financial zone.

Sunday’s launch got here three days after North Korea stated it examined a “high-thrust solid-fuel motor” for a brand new strategic weapon, a growth that would permit it to own a extra cellular, harder-to-detect arsenal of intercontinental ballistic missiles that may attain the US mainland.

In latest months, North Korea has test-fired a barrage of nuclear-capable ballistic missiles together with final month’s launch of its developmental, longest-range liquid-fueled Hwasong-17 ICBM designed to hold a number of warheads.

READ | North Korea fires suspected missile into Japan’s waters, 2nd launch in 2 days

Some specialists say North Korea would ultimately use an expanded arsenal to hunt sanctions aid and different concessions from the United States.

The precise standing of North Korea’s nuclear assault functionality stays in secrecy, as all its intercontinental ballistic missile assessments lately have been carried out at a steep angle to keep away from neighboring international locations.

Some specialists speculate North Korea already has functioning nuclear-tipped missiles that may hit all the US, given the variety of years it has spent on its nuclear program. But others say nation remains to be years away from buying such weapons, saying it has but to publicly show it has a expertise to guard warheads from the tough situations of atmospheric reentry.

The United States and South Korea have expanded their common army drills and pushed to additional bolster their mixed protection functionality within the face of North Korea’s advancing nuclear program. North Korea has threatened to make use of nuclear weapons preemptively in potential conflicts with the United States and South Korea, and the US army warned the North that using nuclear weapons “will result in the end of that regime.”

Posted By:

Devika Bhattacharya

Published On:

Dec 18, 2022