Pyongyang: A suspected intermediate-range ballistic missile has been fired into the sea off the eastern coast of North Korea. The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea confirmed that they detected the launch emanating from Pyongyang, the North Korean capital.
They said that, “We have stepped up monitoring and are closely sharing relevant information with the US and Japan.” Tokyo affirmed the liftoff of a ballistic missile by North Korea. The coastguard urged ships to be attentive and inform any fallen objects without approaching them.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida vilified the launch and stated that North Korea frequently launched ballistic missiles this year. He added that the launch was a threat to regional security and was ‘absolutely unacceptable.’
This is the third ballistic missile launch in 2024, and North Korea claims that it is testing a new intermediate-range hypersonic missile powered by a solid-fuel engine. This follows a Russian veto of a United Nations expert monitoring North Korean sanctions breaches amidst an inquisition into missile deals between Moscow and Pyongyang and just a week before South Korea’s general election.
Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, wrote in emailed comments that, “The Kim regime prioritises advancing its military capabilities and doesn’t care to stay quiet during the South Korean legislative election campaign.”
“But firing an intermediate-range missile lacks the shock value of a full-range intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch or a nuclear test, so it’s unlikely to swing any National Assembly seats. Although Pyongyang’s weapons development remains a major concern, Seoul is currently focused on health care reform, economic policies, and domestic political scandals,” the professor added.
Despite international sanctions charged against Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons programme, it continues to expand its military arsenal. Also, the country has designated South Korea as its ‘principal enemy,’ shut down reunification agencies, and threatened war over slight territorial invasions.
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