North Korea has launched at least one “missile of unknown type,” the South Korean Defense Ministry said in a statement.
This appears to be Pyongyang’s ninth test launch since the beginning of the year.
“North Korea fired a missile of unknown type in the eastern direction,” towards the Korean Sea, which Tokyo calls the Sea of ​​Japan, the South Korean staff said, without going into further details.
The new North Korean weapons test comes just days before South Korea’s presidential election.
The previous rocket launch took place on 27 February. North Korea has said it is testing systems to launch reconnaissance satellites.
According to the Japanese Coast Guard, the rocket that was launched already fell into the sea.
The launch of ballistic missiles by North Korea, a country with a nuclear arsenal, has been banned by UN Security Council resolutions that have repeatedly imposed sanctions on the country over its weapons programs.
With talks on denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula at a dead end since 2019, North Korea went ahead with an unprecedented number of missiles in January. Apparently, it is preparing to launch a spy satellite in the near future. It has also hinted that it will resume testing nuclear weapons or intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) for the first time since 2017.
Analysts say Pyongyang could launch a major test of a missile or other weapon in Seoul shortly after the transfer of power, or on the national holiday of April 15.
Since Joe Biden took over the presidency a year or so ago, Washington has repeatedly stated that it is ready to start negotiations anywhere and without preconditions with North Korea. Pyongyang, however, has so far rejected the offer, accusing the other side and its allies of “hostile” policies.
The U.S.-based non-governmental organization 38 North, which regularly monitors North Korea’s military activities, said on Friday that North Korea’s main nuclear facility had reached the peak of its activity and was producing fuel for other nuclear or other nuclear weapons. the expansion of the country’s nuclear power plants.
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