North Korea has fired a long-range, nuclear-capable missile toward the sea, according to the South Korean military. The General Staff in Seoul said the launch of the suspected intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was recorded on Monday morning (local time).
The missile flew towards the sea between the Korean peninsula and Japan. According to Japanese information, it is a long-range ballistic missile of the ICBM class with a range of more than 15,000 kilometers. This means it can reach any location in Japan or the USA, said Japanese Deputy Defense Minister Shingo Miyake on Monday. The rocket was in the air for around 73 minutes.
According to South Korea, North Korea only tested a short-range missile late on Sunday evening. UN resolutions prohibit the self-proclaimed nuclear power from launching or even testing ballistic missiles of any range. Depending on the design, such rockets can also be equipped with a nuclear warhead.
The USA and its partner countries South Korea, Japan and Australia recently imposed new sanctions on North Korea because of the launch of a reconnaissance satellite in November. They accused Pyongyang of using technologies directly related to its intercontinental ballistic missile program.
North Korea’s development of ICBMs is primarily directed against the nuclear power USA. Tensions on the Korean peninsula have increased significantly. After an unprecedented series of missile tests last year, North Korea has again tested missiles including ICBMs and guided missiles several times this year.