North Korea entered a new year in style with a show of force by testing what is suspected to be a ballistic missile off its east coast on Wednesday, authorities in Japan and South Korea said.
Japan’s coast guard, which first reported the launch said the projectile could be a ballistic missile but didn’t provide further details.
Japan prime minister said since last year, North Korea has repeatedly launched missiles which is regrettable while talking to reporters.
Defense minister Nobuo Kishi told reporters the suspected missile had flown for about 500 km and landed outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile was launched eastwards at about 8:10 am from a land-based platform.
The test comes a few days after the conclusion of a key party meeting in North Korea that focused mainly on the pandemic-hit economy.
Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea promised to continue to bolster the country’s defense but didn’t specifically mention weaponry.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said the test may stall Inter-Korea talks aimed to end the Korean war and may increase tensions in the region.
Moon Jae-in who is also coming at the end of his term as president of South Korea this year called North Korea to return to the table for negotiation to secure a peace agreement on the divided peninsula.
The missile launch came at a time when Moon Jae-in was attending a groundbreaking ceremony in the coastal city of Goseong near the border with North Korea for a rail line he hoped will eventually connect the two Koreas.
While at the ceremony, Moon Jae-in said “we shouldn’t give up the hope for dialogue in order to fundamentally overcome this situation, if both Koreas work together and build trust, peace would be achieved one day”.
North Korea is under sanctions by the U.S meant to prevent the country from developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles which have done little to curb North Korea’s ambitions.
