Wednesday, January 05, 2022
Suspected ballistic missile
North Korea fires projectile
A few days after North Korea’s ruler Kim Jong Un announced that he would further expand the military potential of his armed forces, the next weapons test follows. South Korea and Japan suspect that the neighboring state fired a ballistic missile into the sea.
According to two neighboring countries, the self-declared nuclear power North Korea has again fired a rocket for test purposes. The projectile that fell into the sea was apparently a ballistic missile, said the General Staff of the South Korean military. The Japanese government also spoke of an apparently ballistic missile.
UN resolutions prohibit the politically largely isolated North Korea from testing missiles that, depending on their design, can also carry a nuclear warhead. What type of missile it was exactly and how far it flew was initially unclear. According to the information provided by the South Korean military, the missile was launched in the morning (local time) from a land-based platform and was headed towards the Sea of Japan. In close cooperation with the US, the situation will be closely monitored with a view to possible further missile tests by North Korea, it said.
Last year, North Korea said it had successfully tested long-range cruise missiles and fired short-range missiles from a train. In addition, a newly developed hypersonic missile is said to have been tested. Missiles of this type are difficult to intercept because of their high speed.
The last time North Korea tested a ballistic missile was in October, which state media reported at the time was a “new type” missile that can be launched from a submerged submarine. Experts suspected that it was a short range model.
North Korea regularly tests missiles of various types. The communist leadership in Pyongyang has been promoting the development of missiles that can be equipped with nuclear warheads for years. The country is therefore subject to severe international sanctions. The development also includes long-range missiles that could reach the US mainland. North Korea has declared itself a nuclear power. In view of the negotiations with the USA on its nuclear weapons program, the international status is rather unclear. The negotiations have not progressed for almost three years.