The United States and Japan called for the urgent talks after North Korea fired two intermediate-range missiles simultaneously with one appearing to explode on take-off, according to the USA military.
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North Korea fired two Rodong intermediate-range ballistic missiles early Wednesday.
NEWS BRIEF A North Korean missile launched Wednesday morning flew more than 600 miles and sank into the Sea of Japan. Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said the missile was believed to be a Rodong, a medium-range missile.
In South Korea, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se said the latest missile launch further confirms the need for the deployment of U.S. Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense batteries here. Ryol warned that all decisions concerning relations with the USA would be dealt with under wartime laws – including the detentions of the two American prisoners now being held in North Korea, Otto Warmbier and Kim Dong Chul.
The launch comes after South Korea and the United States announced the deployment of a US -made missile defense system known as THAAD.
Dr Lee Seong Hyon of the Sejong Institute think-tank noted that the missile was launched from North Korea’s west coast, and that, if fired from its usual test site in the east coast, could have hit Japan.
The North has carried out repeated missile tests in recent months.
“We are aware of reports that the DPRK fired ballistic missiles”, said State Department spokeswoman Anna Richey-Allen. The other missile exploded right after launch.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reacts during a test launch of ground-to-ground medium long-range ballistic rocket Hwasong-10 in this undated photo released by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on June 23, 2016.
“We immediately launched a strong protest against North Korea and condemned (the launch) in the strongest language” through diplomatic channels, he said.
The launch showed North Korean ambition to “directly and broadly attack neighbouring countries and target several places in the Republic of Korea such as ports and airfields”, the statement said, referring to South Korea by its official title.
The test follows the launch of three ballistic missiles on 19 July in what the North said were simulated nuclear strikes on the South.
It said it had miniaturised a nuclear warhead and successfully tested an engine designed for an inter-continental ballistic missile that could reach the U.S. mainland. North Korea describes the drills as an invasion rehearsal.
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One of the two fired missiles flew up to 1,000kms before ending up in Japan’s exclusive economic zone in the Sea of Japan.
