Published : Aug. 3, 2016 - 17:27
North Korea on Wednesday fired two intermediate-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea, South Korean and the U.S. militaries said. One exploded mid-air and the other landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone in the East Sea.
The latest launches appear to be a show of force against the allies, particularly with the allies recently agreeing to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula to counter Pyongyang’s missiles.
According to the U.S. Strategic Command, its systems detected what was assessed to be simultaneous launches of two Rodong missile launches at 7:53 a.m., near the western city of Hwangju, Hwanghae Province.
Yonhap
“Initial indications reveal one of the missiles exploded immediately after launch, while the second was tracked over North Korea and into the (East Sea) Sea of Japan,” the USSTRATCOM said in a press release.
According to Japan’s Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, the missile flew about 1,000 kilometers to land 250 kilometers west of the Oga Peninsula in Akita Prefecture.
Rodong’s maximum flight range is presumed to be around 1,300 kilometers.
It was the first time a North Korean missile fell into Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
Earlier in the day, Joint Chiefs of Staff had said that the communist state had fired one Rodong missile at 7:50 a.m. near Eunyul in Hwanghae Province.
With regards to the contradicting reports, the JCS later confirmed the USSTRATCOM’s assessment of two missiles being fired, but stood by its initial evaluation that the projectiles were fired near Eunyul.
The launch, which violates the U.N. Security Council resolution barring Pyongyang’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, sparked furious reactions from Seoul, Washington and Tokyo.
“By firing a missile capable of being armed with a nuclear warhead, (North Korea) blatantly showed its will and ambition to target South Korea and also strike neighboring countries. The military strongly condemns the North for its reckless actions, and will punish any act of provocation that threatens the country’s security and the lives of our people,” the South Korean military said in a statement.
The U.S. State Department lambasted the North, saying Washington plans to raise the issue of the hermit kingdom’s missile threats to the U.N. to hold it responsible for its actions.
It stressed that the U.S. commitment to defending its allies -- including Seoul -- remains “ironclad.”
Reacting to the first exclusive economic zone breach by Pyongyang’s missile, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters that the missile launches present a severe threat to the country’s security. He vowed to cooperate with South Korea and the U.S. in response, and convened a National Security Council meeting.
No damages to any Japanese ship or airplane has been reported yet.
Rodong missile launches in the past have flown well short of its maximum range, conventionally flying around 500 kilometers to fall into the Korean side of the East Sea.
Officials say that the launches might have been targeted at sending the message that North Korea can strike neighboring countries at any given time, in particular ahead of the Ulchi Freedom Guardian joint military exercise by Seoul and Washington slated to kick off on Aug. 22.
Wednesday’s launch was the 32nd and 33rd time North Korea had launched ballistic missiles since its leader Kim Jong-un took over the helm of the reclusive nation in 2011.
This year also marked the first time that Pyongyang fired its Musudan ballistic missiles, presumed to have a maximum range of about 3,000 kilometers, which puts the U.S. military base in Guam within range. The missiles have been deployed in the field since 2007, but had never actually been fired.
While most of the Musudan launches have been evaluated as failures, its test launch in June has widely been assessed here as a success.
Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said Wednesday that the recent launch underscores the necessity of the THAAD, scheduled to be deployed in the country’s southern region of Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province by late 2017.
Deploying the advanced missile defense system here has sparked controversy over its effects on the environment and health, its proficiency in defending against ballistic missiles and concerns that having the U.S. weapon system might vex neighboring countries like China and Russia.
Yun said that the North’s action might have considered the upcoming joint military exercise, and stressed that the communist country’s provocations have always had multiple indications.
By Yoon Min-sik (
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)