North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile which flew for “71 minutes” for a distance of 1100 KM’s
North Korea fired what is thought to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) toward the sea off its east coast on Thursday, militaries in South Korea and Japan said, in what would be the first full-capability launch of the nuclear-armed state’s largest missiles since 2017.
- UPDATE The data suggested that the missile was more powerful than the Hwasong-15, the last ICBM North Korea tested. It reached an altitude of 2,796 miles while covering a distance of 596 miles.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it had detected the launch of an “unidentified projectile” from North Korea. It said the launch was assumed to be a long-range missile, possibly an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) fired on a “lofted” trajectory high into space, Yonhap news agency reported.
South Korea’s Ministry of Defense did not immediately confirm whether the test involved an ICBM. North Korea has not tested such missiles at full range or capability since 2017.
Japan’s coast guard said the projectile landed inside Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), 170 km (106 miles) west of Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan, at 3:44 p.m. (0644 GMT).
The United States and South Korea have warned in recent weeks that North Korea may be preparing to test-fire an ICBM at full range for the first time since 2017.
Pyongyang did not identify the missile system used in those launches, but said they were testing components for a reconnaissance satellite system. Leader Kim Jong Un said this month that North Korea would soon launch multiple satellites to monitor military movements by the United States and its allies.