The Joint Chiefs of Staff of the South Korean military announced on Tuesday that North Korea has launched a ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan, commonly referred to as the East Sea.
A solid-fuel engine test for a “new-type intermediate-range hypersonic missile” was successfully conducted, according to Pyongyang’s official media, less than two weeks prior to the launch.
Tokyo confirmed the launch of missile
The coastguard advised mariners to be alert and report any fallen items without approaching them, and Tokyo confirmed the launch.
Fumio Kishida, the prime minister of Japan, denounced the launch, telling reporters that North Korea had “repeatedly launched ballistic missiles” this year, calling it “absolutely unacceptable” and a threat to regional security.
The third ballistic missile launch of 2024 occurred, and North Korea has claimed to be testing a brand-new, intermediate-range hypersonic missile with a solid fuel engine.
North Korea has not yet responded to the news.
Pyongyang is under sanctioned
Since its second nuclear test in 2009, Pyongyang has been subject to a number of sanctions, but its nuclear and military programs have continued to advance unabatedly.
The nuclear-armed North has warned war over “even 0.001 mm” of territorial infringement, dissolved institutions devoted to reunification and outreach, and labeled South Korea its “principal enemy” as far this year.
Seoul is one of Washington’s key regional allies, and the United States has stationed about 27,000 American soldiers in the South to help protect it against North Korea.
Pyongyang has recently boosted ties with traditional ally Russia.
Subsequently, the US declared that Pyongyang had started supplying Moscow with armaments.
Additionally, earlier this month, South Korea claimed that since the transfers started in July of last year, North Korea had sent about 7,000 containers full of weapons to Russia for use in its conflict with Ukraine.