Pyongyang’s seventh missile launch

The test occurred this morning from Sondok base. The missiles fell into the sea, outside Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone. The launch came a few hours after South Korea scrapped an intelligence sharing agreement with Japan.

Seoul (AsiaNews/Agencies) – North Korea tested two short-range ballistic missiles this morning. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JSC) and Japan’s Defence Ministry confirmed the launch.

Japanese Defence Minister Takeshi Iwaya said that the test, the seventh in the past few weeks, did no pose any immediate threat to his country’s security.

South Korea said that the two short-range ballistic missiles were fired on Saturday at around 6.45am and 7.02am KST (2145, 2202 GMT on Friday) respectively from around Sondok, South Hamgyong Province.

The missiles flew about 380 km with a maximum speed of “Mach 6.5 or higher” and an apogee of 97 km, eventually falling into the sea.

Today's test risks further widening the gap between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un, after the historic meeting between the two leaders in the village of Panmunjom in late June.

At the beginning of August, the US president said that his North Korean counterpart had promised to stop ballistic tests at the end of the joint military exercises between US and South Korean forces, which ended this week. North Korea opposes them.

As soon as the missile testing was reported, South Korea’s National Security Council met, saying that continued launches caused “strong concern”.

Japanese Defence Minister Takeshi Iwaya said that North Korea’s missile launches were a clear violation of UN resolutions and could not be ignored. He also stated that the missiles fell outside Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

Analysts note that the last launch comes a few hours after South Korea decided not to extend a intelligence sharing agreement signed with Japan in February 2016, which allowed the exchange of sensitive information about North Korea. Mr Iwaya said that the decision was regrettable.

• north
• south korea
• japan
• united states
• missile testing
• intelligence sharing agreement
• exercises