This is the fifth launch in recent days. The previous four missiles were short-range and fell in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.
North Korea, which has backed Ukraine’s annexation of Russian-occupied territories in exchange for grain, launched an intercontinental ballistic missile into Japanese territory for the first time in five years. The missile fell into the Pacific Ocean, covering a distance of 4.6 thousand kilometers, which is the maximum range for the entire period of North Korean missile tests. Correspondent.net telling the details.
Reckless and dangerous rocket launch
North Korea launched a ballistic missile over Japan on the morning of October 4. According to AP, after the launch, the J-alert early warning system went into effect in Japan: residents of the northeastern part of the country were urged to take cover in shelters during the trials, and trains were also stopped.
During the rocket flight in Japan, citizens were asked to be prepared for possible falling debris. However, there was no panic, and a video shows commuters in suburban Tokyo calmly walking down the street to the sound of sirens and warnings from loudspeakers.
小是是、北朝鮮のミサイル発射の警報 pic.twitter.com/haMz82CZk5
— ぷに (@punichang) October 3, 2022
The missile flew over northern Aomori Prefecture and landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone in the Pacific Ocean. The Japan Defense Forces did not attempt to destroy the missile. The country’s authorities explained that the military was monitoring the flight path and did not predict that it could cause damage.
According to Tokyo, it is likely an intercontinental ballistic missile of the Hwaseong-12 type. His flight, estimated at 4.6 thousand kilometers. Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said the missile’s estimated range was the longest Pyongyang had tested, enough to hit US military bases in Guam.
According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, the North Korean missile reached an altitude of 970 kilometers and developed a speed of Mach 17, which is 17 times the speed of sound. He was on the air for 20 minutes.
“This launch, following North Korea’s recent series of launches, is a reckless act and I strongly condemn it,” Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in a statement.
This is the fifth launch in recent days. The previous four missiles were short-range and fell in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. Two of them fall into Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
South Korea also condemned the neighbor’s actions and considered them a provocation. “As I said on Armed Forces Day on October 1, such reckless nuclear provocation will meet with a strong response from our military, our allies and the international community,” said South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol.
The North Korean missile launch was also condemned by the White House. He was called “reckless and dangerous.” At the same time, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink said that the United States is ready for dialogue.
He also said China needs to do more to combat North Korea’s evasion of sanctions in its coastal waters, and that Beijing and Russia should work to shut down Pyongyang’s procurement networks.
“The failure of the PRC and Russia to fully and fully fulfill their obligations … has, we fear, only emboldened the DPRK to undermine the UN Security Council, the rules-based international order, and the global non-proliferation regime,” he said.
Kritenbrink said the United States will take all necessary steps to protect its allies. He said that by leaving the door open for dialogue, Washington would “strongly respond” to the growing threat from North Korea. “We have no choice but to do this,” he said.
In response, the United States, along with South Korea, conducted precision bombing exercises. They were attended by four South Korean Air Force F-15K fighters and four US Air Force F-16 fighters.
“South Korean F-15Ks fired two Direct Attack Ammunition (JDAM) bombs at a virtual target in the Jikdo Range, West Sea,” the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said, referring to the Yellow Sea.
Japan, the United States and South Korea are working together to strengthen defenses in response to the growing DPRK threat. Last week, the three countries held joint naval exercises for the first time since 2017. Such drills have long angered North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, who sees them as proof that “the enemy” is preparing for war.
After the 2017 exercise, Pyongyang responded by firing two missiles at Japan, and conducted a nuclear test a week later. North Korea is preparing to conduct another nuclear test, according to intelligence reports.
Analysts believe Pyongyang will wait until the end of the Congress of the Communist Party of China – North Korea’s main ally – to be held at the end of the month in Beijing.
But some experts are now wondering if the new test could happen sooner than expected – they say Tuesday’s launch shows North Korea is setting the stage for nuclear testing.
As a rule, North Korean missiles fly on a trajectory that takes them high and far from the territories of neighboring countries.
But the ballistic missile flight over Japan’s islands allows North Korean scientists to conduct tests in conditions more similar to those they would face in the event of war, analyst Ankit Panda told Reuters news agency.
In September, North Korea declared itself a nuclear power, and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ruled out the possibility of denuclearization negotiations.
Between 2006 and 2017, Pyongyang conducted six nuclear tests, for which it was subject to extensive sanctions.
UN resolutions prohibit Pyongyang from testing ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons. Launching rockets in the direction of other countries or their territory without any prior warning or consultation is also contrary to international norms.
Most countries do not conduct such launches, as they can easily be mistaken for the start of an attack. And even if a rocket launch is below the scale of a nuclear test, it can still be considered provocative.
Kim Jong Un, however, is ignoring the bans on nuclear and missile tests, saying they are necessary to strengthen the country’s defenses.
Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.