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Source: Yonhap News Agency / Graphic by Park Jong-gyu

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it had refrained from immediately disclosing North Korea's test launch of a tactical ballistic missile equipped with a cluster-bomb warhead last month because South Korea and the United States were conducting an in-depth analysis of the missile's characteristics and specifications.

Jang Do-young, director of the JCS Public Affairs Office, made the remarks during a regular briefing at the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan, Seoul, on Nov. 2, in response to a question about why the military had not announced North Korea's Oct. 31 test launch on the day it occurred.

"Our military detected signs of North Korea's missile launch in advance and monitored and tracked the entire process from launch to completion," Jang said.

"Our military does not announce every projectile launched by North Korea. Rather, decisions on whether to notify the media are made based on a comprehensive military assessment, taking into account the protection of our military's surveillance and reconnaissance assets and capabilities, as well as operational security," he said.

"In the case of this missile, South Korea and the United States were closely coordinating on an in-depth analysis of its characteristics and specifications," Jang added. "Accordingly, we exercised caution in notifying the media."

North Korea reported through the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Nov. 1 that its Missile Administration had conducted a test on Oct. 31 to evaluate the combat applicability and destructive power of a cluster-bomb warhead for a tactical ballistic missile.

The JCS typically notifies the media immediately when North Korea launches a ballistic missile, but this time it did not disclose the launch until after North Korea's report.

Asked whether it was standard practice to announce ballistic missile launches on the same day, Jang replied, "Yes. It is true that we have announced such launches because ballistic missile launches violate United Nations Security Council resolutions."

"However, I would like to emphasize that this particular missile required an in-depth analysis," he added.

                                                                                                              Lee Han-sol