SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the sea off its east coast on Monday, at least one of which flew more than 900 kilometers, in what South Korea’s military called a show of force after Seoul’s first successful test of a hypersonic missile, Yonhap News Agency and DW reported.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected the launches at about 9:20 a.m. local time from the Pyongyang area. “Initial analysis suggests (Monday’s launch) was seen as a protest against the successful launch of our hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) and a display of the North’s achievements under its five-year plan to bolster defense capabilities and a deliberate show of its missile capabilities,” JCS spokesperson Jang Do-young told a briefing, according to Yonhap.
Japan’s state minister of defense, Takashi Koyari, said at least two missiles were launched: one traveled about 220 kilometers at a maximum altitude of about 20 kilometers, and the other about 910 kilometers at an altitude of about 70 kilometers. Both fell outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone, and Koyari said they “may have flown on irregular trajectories,” Jiji Press reported. Japan, the United States and South Korea are analyzing the flights.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung announced the test-firing of a domestically developed hypersonic missile last week. DW said Monday’s launch was North Korea’s fourth missile launch in October and that it has carried out tests on more than 10 occasions this year. Yonhap said Monday’s launch followed the firing of one ballistic missile from the Wonsan area on Oct. 3, which Pyongyang described as training for troops operating its “hypersonic strategic weapon system.”
Tensions on the peninsula have been rising since Sept. 21, when a mine blast on the southern side of the Demilitarized Zone injured three South Korean soldiers.
Sources: Yonhap News Agency, DW, Jiji Press
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