SEOULNorth Korea launched a ballistic missile into its eastern waters, the South Korean military said Monday, amid a series of weapons tests by the country and amid growing speculation that it may soon launch a banned satellite into orbit.
The South Korean military’s General Staff said the projectile left the capital area on Monday and traveled about 300 kilometers (185 miles) before landing in waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. The estimate suggested the weapon could hit targets in South Korea.
The General Staff condemned the launch and said it was a “clear provocation” that threatens peace on the Korean Peninsula. He added that he remained ready to respond “overwhelmingly” to North Korean provocations in line with its military alliance with the United States.
For its part, Japan’s prime minister’s office said it had ordered authorities to gather data on the incident and ensure the safety of ships and aircraft. The Japanese coast guard urged ships to be cautious of falling objects and to report to authorities if they saw anything suspicious.
Pyongyang has accelerated the pace of weapons tests as part of its efforts to expand its military capabilities amid a stalemate in diplomacy with the United States and South Korea.
North Korea announced Saturday that it had tested a “super-large” cruise missile warhead and a new anti-aircraft missile in an area off the west coast that week. The country also tested in early April what it described as an intermediate-range, solid-fuel missile capable of carrying a supersonic warhead, a weapon that experts say would aim to strike remote targets such as the Pacific U.S. territory of Guam and beyond.
Some experts earlier said North Korea could begin major provocations this month such as satellite launches banned by the international community to mark important state anniversaries: the April 15 birthday of the state’s founder, Kim Il Sung, grandfather of the current leader, Kim Jong Un, and the founding anniversary of a predecessor of the North Korean military on April 25.
The South Korean military said Monday it had detected signs that Pyongyang was preparing to launch a second spy satellite, although it did not appear to be imminent.
North Korea launched what it called its first military spy satellite into orbit last November, although there are widespread doubts about its capacity. Kim Jon Un said in late December that the country would launch three more military spy satellites in 2024.
Source: With information from AP
