N. Korea fires ballistic missile over Japan

Oct 05, 2022, 08:38 am

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The location and route of the ballistic missile launched by North Korea on Oct. 4, 2022./ Source: South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff

AsiaToday reporters Lee Wook-jae & Park Young-hoon

North Korea fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) eastward on Tuesday. This is the first launch of an IRBM in eight months. The North has raised the level of provocation following the recent launch of four short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM). The United States classifies ballistic missiles with a range of 3,000 to 5,500 kilometers as IRBM.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch from Mupyong-ri in the northern province of Jagang at 7:23 a.m. flying eastward past Japan.

The missile flew some 4,500 kilometers at an apogee of around 970 km at a top speed of Mach 17. The latest launch made it clear than North Korean weapons can reach the U.S. territory of Guam, just about 3,500 kilometers away from Pyongyang.

Japanese authorities also confirmed that the missile has passed over Japan and fallen in the Pacific Ocean. However, an official from the Ministry of National Defense said it is difficult to specify everything with the specifications reported by the Japanese media outlets, apart from the fact that it has fallen in the Pacific Ocean.

The IRBM launched by the North back in January is identified as Hwasong-12, and there is a possibility that the latest missile may have been the Hwasong-type ballistic missile. The Hwasong 12-type missile flew some 800 kilometers at a top altitude of 2,000 kilometers at a top speed of Mach 16.

The North began its full-fledged provocations with the launch of an IRBM earlier this year. The launch was the first in nearly four years following the launch of Hwasong-15, an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) level. The North fired Hwasong 17-type ICBM on February 27, March 5 and 16, and May 25. The North also fired Hwasong 15 missile on March 24 and May 4.

The military authorities said they will actively respond to North Korean missile provocations through cooperation with the United States. “Soon after the North Korea’s missile launch, the situation was closely shared through a joint meeting between South Korea and the United States,” said JCS Chairman Gen. Kim Seung-kyum. “We reaffirmed we would solidify the allies’ combined defense posture against any North Korean threats and provocations.”

President Yoon Suk-yeol attended an emergency meeting held by the National Security Council (NSC) and pointed out that North Korea’s provocation clearly violated the U.N.’s universal principles and rules, and ordered a strict response, as well as the pursuit of corresponding measures in cooperation with the United States and the international community. Yoon also said North Korea’s nuclear and missile provocations will only strengthen security cooperation within and outside of the region, including between South Korea, the U.S. and Japan, and ordered officials to hold consultations on ways to reinforce the U.S. extended deterrence commitments to South Korea and upgrade the level of security cooperation between Seoul, Washington and Tokyo.

#North Korea #provocation #IRBM #ballistic missile #Japan