The concern of the international community has been caused by the latest launch of a ballistic missile from North Korea (at dawn on Wednesday Greek time) with the longest flight of any missile launched from Pyongyang to date, according to Japanese media.

The launch of the long-range intercontinental ballistic missile was roughly two twenty-four hours after Kim Jong Un threatened to shoot down US spy planes that violate North Korean airspace.

The South Korean military “detected the launch of what is believed to be a long-range ballistic missile from the Pyongyang area around 10:00 [σ.σ. τοπική ώρα· στις 04:00 ώρα Ελλάδας] in the direction of the East Sea,” the South Korean National Defense General Staff clarified.

Tokyo also confirmed the new weapons test.

According to Japanese government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno, the missile flew for 74 minutes and reached an altitude of more than 6,000 meters.

It is the longest flight of any missile fired by Pyongyang to date, according to Japanese media, which cited the Japanese Defense Ministry and said it was apparently an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

For its part, the South Korean military reported that the missile traveled a distance of 1,000 kilometers.

South Korean President Yoon Seok-gil said North Korea will have to pay the price for its illegal actions and will call for international solidarity in the face of Pyongyang’s threats at the NATO summit in Vilnius.

Kim Jong Un threatens – a threat

Today is Pyongyang’s twelfth known missile test this year as North Korea continues its series of weapons tests in defiance of international sanctions: it has notably launched the most powerful ICBMs it has developed.

On Monday, Pyongyang threatened to shoot down US spy planes that violate its airspacewhile condemning the US decision to send a nuclear-tipped missile submarine to the Korean peninsula for the first time in decades.

According to a North Korean Defense Ministry spokesman, the US has “intensified its spying activities above the level of war”: he referred to numerous flights of US intelligence-gathering aircraft in July, which he described as “provocative”, for eight consecutive days.
Reconnaissance aircraft, he insisted, had “repeatedly” intruded into North Korean airspace.

In the press release released and relayed by North Korea’s official KCNA news agency, the spokesman warned against the risk of an “accident” that this activity could cause, as well as the “downing” of a US spy plane.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s powerful sister, Kim Yo-yong, said a US spy plane had twice violated North Korean airspace on Monday morning.

He added that Pyongyang would not react to US reconnaissance flights outside its exclusive economic zone, but threatened that “decisive measures” would be taken if they crossed the maritime military demarcation line.

Washington, under a declaration co-signed in April with Seoul, will send a nuclear-armed submarine to dock in South Korea for the first time in decades; the date has not been specified.

The US and South Korea have dramatically stepped up their military cooperation, and in August are expected to hold annual joint military exercises dubbed the “Ulchi Freedom Shield.”

Pyongyang perceives the joint exercises of the armed forces of the two states as rehearsals for an invasion of its territory.

The Korean War (1950-1953) ended with a simple armistice, a peace agreement was never signed. Technically, North Korea and South Korea remain at war.