There have been a series of missile launches by North Korea during September, in an apparent ramp-up of hostility that has been strongly condemned by neighbouring Japan and South Korea. South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff assessed the missile to be at an early stage of development and said North Korea would need “considerable time” to be able to deploy it operationally. “We regret that the missile was fired at a time when it was very important to stabilise the situation of the Korean peninsula,” said defence ministry spokesman Boo Seung-chan.
South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in ordered aides to conduct a detailed analysis of the North’s recent moves and devise a response. The move underscored the steady development of North Korea’s weapons systems, raising the stakes for stalled talks aimed at dismantling its nuclear and ballistic missile arsenals in return for US sanctions relief. The missile test came just before North Korea’s ambassador to the United Nations said no one could deny his country’s right to self-defence and to test weapons. The US said the launch posed no immediate threat to US personnel, territory or allies, in a US military statement.
Hypersonic missiles move far faster and are more nimble than ordinary ones, making them much harder for missile defence systems – on which the US is spending billions – to intercept. Japan’s defence ministry said it appeared to be a ballistic missile. The missile was launched from the central north province of Jagang at around 6.40am on Tuesday, South Korea’s joint chiefs of staff said.
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