The Scud-C has a maximum range of 430 miles and the Rodong can travel up to 800 miles, but North Korea tested the projectiles within a limited range by launching the missiles at an angle over 85 degrees, according to South Korea press.
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The U.S. also said in a statement that it would raise the issue at the United Nations.
The hardware in question is a U.S.-made advanced missile defense shield known as the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (Thaad) system, which will be deployed in South Korea to guard against missile threats from the North.
Relations have deteriorated greatly since then as North Korea has pursued the development of nuclear weapons despite worldwide sanctions.
KCNA also reported that the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un “provided field guidance to the drill” that took place in Hwangju in the country’s North Hwanghae province. On July 8, following a series of North Korean ballistic missile tests, the US and South Korea announced that a THAAD battery would be deployed to Seongju by the end of 2017.
“North Korea’s nuclear test and multiple ballistic missile tests, including the recent intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) launches, highlight the grave threat that North Korea poses to the security and stability of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the entire Asia-Pacific region”, a joint statement from the US and South Korea read. He said the South is closely watching the North’s moves.
The firing of one Rodong and two Scud missiles was seen as a show of force targeting the allies’ recent announcement of their deployment decision. The third launch was presumed to be a Rodong intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of flying up to 1,300 kilometers with a nuclear warhead.
Some experts say that could happen within this month, probably around July 27th, which marks the 63rd anniversary of what North Korea claims to be its victory of the Korean War. On Tuesday, North Korea fired three ballistic missiles into the sea, according to Seoul defense officials.
The Korean Peninsula remains in a technical state of war because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty. Seoul accuses Pyongyang of sending spies disguised as ordinary refugees seeking to resettle in South Korea or nurturing pro-North figures in the South.
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The missile-defense battery is created to detect and destroy incoming North Korean missiles, but Beijing strongly opposes its deployment in South Korea because the system’s powerful radar can scan not only North Korean but also Chinese territory.
